What Lies Beneath
by Vastulja Sata Menton
Summary: Duo has found himself stuck on a colony prostituting himself, but Wufei and Heero show up to save him from the hell he is living. There is more to the situation than meets the eye though. 1x5. 1x5x2
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer/An_ : I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters. Please take note that I do not know Chinese and did my best to work with the limited knowledge I was able to find on the net about Chinese honorifics. This will be the only disclaimer and Authors note for the story. Please enjoy.

 **Chapter One**

He stood under the awning of a dark shop as the rain pored down. The water dripped to the wet concrete just out of his reach. He watched as cars rushed by, splashing through the puddles. The lights overhead flickered, letting the moonlight from above to be seen every so often. He was waiting. It was where he always waited. Every night he stood in the same place looking out at the same street. He always dressed in tight black pants, a tight black tank top and a pair sleek knee high black boots. The clothing always looked the same, no matter what the weather was. He stood in front of the abandoned store every night no matter what, and every night he wondered why he did it. Every night he thought of a way out of it all. Every night, he tried to come up with a way to get out.

His name was Duo Maxwell and he was nineteen years old. He had somehow managed to get himself stuck in a horrible situation that he would never have thought he would get himself stuck in. He was once an amazing Gundam pilot who had saved the colonies and helped create peace on earth and in space. Here he was two years later standing on the street waiting for a car to stop so he could sell his body for money. How had he fallen so low you might ask? It had happened a year earlier when he had fallen in love with the wrong man. He thought the man he had fallen in love with was amazing, and he had no idea where all the money he had was coming from but he did not question it. He was too far in love for it to matter. He was head over heels, but he was blind sided. Every day he kicked him self mentally for not investigating like he should have. Like any former Gundam pilot would have. He would have found out that the man he thought he was in love with was deep in the trade of human trafficking and that he was in danger. Shortly after hooking up with the man, he found himself selling his body and giving all his money to the man. The man some would call his pimp. The man who he was forced to call his master.

Duo had nothing anymore. He couldn't even call the clothing he was wearing his own. His master bought him clothing he approved of and fed him. Everything was provided for him. He was forced to live in a three bedroom house with the man and a handful of other people who were under his control. Most of them were addicts and the master helped fuel their habit so they were forced to stay with him. The only reason Duo was stuck was simply because he had gotten weak. He had lost his strength he once had. The man had manipulated Duo in the beginning and made him too weak to fight and now he was too far in to fight and win. He could not call for help and he was always being watched. There was nothing he could do, except hope and pray that some day someone would find him and help him. Until then, he would continue to do what he he was doing. He hated every minute of it though, and he hated himself every day for getting trapped in such a horrible situation.

Every night he stood in the same place thinking the same thoughts. Remembering things he could have done differently. Thinking of things he should have done. Trying to think of a way out of the situation he was in. Everything seemed hopeless to him though. Even the thought of running for it seemed out of the question. He knew he would not get far. He wondered how long he it would take the other pilots to come looking for him. How long did he have to not stay in contact with them until they got worried and went on a search for him? The thought always worried him. What if none of them worried about him at all and they simply lived their lives without a second thought and he was stuck living this life forever?

A car pulled up and stopped along side the curb in front of Duo. The passenger side window rolled down and Duo walked forward into the drizzling rain. He leaned against the door and peered into the dark car. It was difficult to see inside, but he could make out what looked like a man. He sighed inside. It was always men. Not that he disliked men. To be honest he preferred men over women. Not only was he more attracted to men but women never knew how to take charge. But that was what made the female customers so much easier. It was an an in and out job and he still got paid. Hell, there were times when he simply got to listen to a women talk and cry to him and get paid. Female customers had a lot of advantages over the men. He wondered what this guy would be like.

"Hey buddy. What ya lookin for?" Duo threw a sexy smirk on his face. As much as he hated his job, he knew he would get his ass beat if he didn't sell it as best as he could. Coming back with no money was a horrible thing to do. He had to make at least one deal a night. If he didn't make that deal, then he had to get the money some other way which usually meant making his way into the heart of downtown and pick pocketing someone. He wasn't sure which was worse. Pick pocketing someone was riskier because the cops were in the heart of downtown watching out for that kind of thing. No one seemed to care about the people selling themselves on the outskirts and in the alleyways.

"Duo? Is that you?" The voice sounded familiar, but with no face Duo was unable to place it.

He was taken aback. He didn't use his real name on the street. None of the residents in the house knew his real name either. The only person in town who knew his real name was the master. So how could this person possibly know his real name? He regained his composure quickly and gave the man a strange look. "I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong person. Were you looking for a good time or not, sweety?"

"Duo, it's me. It's Wufei."

All the color drained out of Duo's face, and his heart almost stopped. His mind was racing at a million miles an hour. What was Wufei doing there? He had just propositioned himself to Wufei and now he knew. What must he think? So many thoughts were rushing through his mind at once he found it difficult to figure out what to do next. Should he jump for joy and ask for help or should he run in shame? He was in shock. He just stared at the Chinese man in the darkness.

"Duo? Are you okay? You're scaring me."

Duo snapped out of it and stood up straight. A million thoughts still raced through his mind, but they were more clear and he realized the opportunity sitting in front of him. This was his chance to get away. Wufei could help him get away from the horrible life he had been forced to live for a year. He was sure that he would help. He simply had to ask.

"Duo, get in the car for goodness sake. You're getting soaked."

Duo realized he was indeed getting extremely wet. He opened the passenger car door and climbed in. Wufei rolled the window up with a press of a button. There was a long silence in the car. Duo glanced at Wufei, but did not want to look him in the eyes. He was overwhelmed with emotions and he did not trust himself to look the other man in the eyes.

"Duo, exactly what is going on here?"

"I-" Duo faltered. What exactly was he supposed to say? Was it not obvious that he was prostituting himself on the street? Maybe that wasn't what Wufei meant. "It's a really long story Wufei, to be honest."

Wufei shifted the car into gear. "Well, it's a good thing I have a lot of extra time." The car moved forward and they were pulling away from the spot Duo had been standing at every night for months. As he drove, Wufei pulled a phone out and dialed a number. Duo noticed a small blue-tooth in his ear. There was a long pause before Wufei spoke. "Hey, I found him. We are on our way right now. We should be there in about ten minutes. Okay, see you in a few. Bye."

There was a few moments of silence before Duo asked, "Where are we going?"

"To a hotel downtown."

"Oh." Duo kept quiet after that. He wasn't sure what to say. Not only had it been two years since he had last seen or spoken to Wufei, but the situation was awkward. To think he had dreamed of this day for months, but now it was happening and he had no idea how to deal with it. He also had to wonder who Wufei had called. Was it one of the other pilots? If it was, which one? They had been looking for him, but for how long. He had so many questions he wanted to ask, but he was painfully aware of the fact that he had asked Wufei if he was 'looking for a good time'. That thought alone made him stay quiet.

Soon they were pulling up to a tall and expensive looking hotel. A valet was at his door opening it quickly and he was stepping out. They were protected from the rain by a long awning. Duo looked around at the exterior of the hotel. It was decorated in blues and whites. He had never been to this particular hotel, but he had been to a few of the expensive ones downtown. Wufei handed the keys over to the young man and walked around the car to stand beside Duo. Now they were in the light, Duo could see Wufei better. He had not changed much, though he had grown quite a bit. He was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a white t-shirt. It was a casual look that suited him well. Duo fought the urge to stare. He never realized how handsome the other man was.

"Lets go then." Wufei led the way into the elegant hotel. Duo followed behind wondering exactly where they were going and what was going on. In the back of his mind he wondered if the master knew where he was. Some how the master always knew who his clients ended up being. He always knew where he was every night. He knew everything about all of his little pawns roaming the streets. Duo still hadn't figured out how he knew, he just knew. He knew there had to be some kind of system involved. A system of connections. That was the only logical thing he could figure out.

They made their way through the vast lobby. There were people roaming around. Some people were coming and going to the bar, others were entering or exiting the restaurant. They passed all of these people and headed to the elevator. They stepped in one of the open elevators and Wufei pressed the button for the eleventh floor. Soon they were at the eleventh floor and stepping out. Wufei led the way down the hallway and Duo followed him cautiously. When they got to the door, Wufei paused and looked back at Duo. The brunette looked back at him with wide eyes before the Chinese man unlocked the door and opened it.

 **End Chapter**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The door to the hotel room opened and Wufei stepped in. Duo followed him and the door closed behind him. The room was large, something he could imagine Quatre getting. The room they stood in was like a living room. It had a television and a love seat and a chair with a coffee table between the two. Across from the doorway was a large window overlooking the city. To the left of the living area was a doorway to what Duo assumed was a bedroom and bathroom. As he looked around he wondered if the person Wufei spoke to earlier was Quatre. He was itching to know, but at the same time he wanted to hide under a rock. He could only imagine how he looked, especially against the elegance of the hotel room. He had once again became a street rat, something he had sworn he would never become. He was trash, and he felt dirty being in the clean pristine room.

The sound of a door opening came from the room, drawing their attention. A moment later, a tall figure stepped through the door way with a towel hanging over their head. Within seconds cobalt blue eyes met violet eyes. Silence and tension filled the room. It was the last person Duo would have ever guessed to come looking for him. Of course, the thought of Wufei coming to look for him was surprising as well, but of all the pilots he would never have thought Heero Yui would have had the heart to come look for him.

Wufei stepped away from Duo and sat down on the love seat. "That was a fast shower."

"Well, I didn't have any distractions."

Wufei glared at Heero, but Duo saw something in the look in his eyes. It was nothing like the glares that he used to give during the war. Though no one would compete with Heero's epic death glares, Wufei could give a pretty mean glare. This, however, had a hint of humor in it. This had something else in it. This was something entirely different. It was as if for a moment Duo was not even in the room. There was a tension between the two men that Duo could not describe. It was something he had never seen between them before. What on earth had happened between them in the two years he had been gone?

Heero turned away from Wufei to face Duo. He tousled his hair with the towel before throwing it in the hamper in the corner. Duo could tell that his hair was still fairly wet, but he didn't say anything. He simply stood there uncomfortably. He still was unsure what to say and he definitely wasn't sure what to do. He figured it would be best to stand where he was and take the situation in. He had failed to use his training once, he wouldn't fail again even if it was against his fellow former pilots.

"So, Duo. It's been two years." Heero looked him up and down. Duo wanted to cover his too skinny body. He knew he had lost too much weight. He wasn't grossly skinny, or he didn't think so anyway. He just wasn't muscular like he used to and he didn't weigh as much as he knew he should. This was the reason he could not win against the master. This was the reason he was stuck in the situation he was stuck in.

"Yeah, two long years." Duo managed out. His voice sounded foreign to him.

Heero walked around the couch and sat down next to Wufei. He gestured to the chair. "Why don't you sit down Duo, and we can talk."

Duo took a deep breath. He wondered how he was going to make it through all of this. He made his way to the chair and sat down. It was kiddy corner to the couch so he had to turn slightly to look at both of the men properly. He noticed that they were sitting extremely close to each other. So close that their legs were almost touching. He was starting to wonder if there was something going on between the two of them. He would have to figure that out later though because he knew he was about to get twenty questions.

"We have been looking for you for quiet some time Duo. I'm not sure if you know this or not." Wufei began.

"To be honest I had no idea." Duo jumped in.

There was a long pause before Heero spoke up. "Duo, what happened to you? Why have you been out of touch for so long?"

"Long story short I got stuck in a really bad situation that I couldn't get myself out of. And I had no way to get ahold of anyone so until you found me I've been in a living hell."

"You said it was a long story Duo. We have the time, please tell us the story. We need to know it. We have been looking for you for months."

Duo was a little taken aback. There was something in the way Wufei spoke. There was almost a need in his voice. Why did they need to know the story so bad. Why did they have to find him? Why was he so important that they needed to spend months on looking for him? He knew he could tell them, but there was something that had to be done before he said anything else to them.

"Okay, I will tell you everything. But you have to promise me that the moment I am done with my story we leave this place. You get me out of this place and we never come back."

The two men across from him looked at each other before looking back and him and nodding. With a sigh he sat back and prepared himself. It was not a pleasant tale that he was about to spin for them. It was something he hated thinking about. It was something that he thought about every day. It was something that he lived every day, and it was something that he would give anything to get away from.

"One year ago I met this man whom I thought I had fallen in love with. He was an amazingly charismatic man. He treated me great and lavished me with gifts. I thought I was in love. I was so blind at the time I didn't stop and take the time to figure out where all his money was coming from. I didn't stop and take the time to realize how he was manipulating me. He made me think I needed to loose weight so I ate less so I would look better for him. But it made me weak and it only took a few months of this before he showed his true self. He specialized in the business of human trafficking. Some people would call him a pimp. When I was too weak to fight back he beat me and forced me to sell my body to make money for him. He has kept me weak so I could not fight back. He has controlled almost every aspect of my life. He has eyes everywhere all over this city. If I could have called any one of you, I would have. For months I prayed and hoped that one of you guys would just start looking for me and finally you have. If I leave this room without a way out of the city, without some protection I'm dead. I can promise you that right now. Until I can get back to my old self he will kill me. That is why I requested that we leave when I finished my story."

There was a long pause as the other two men stared at him in shock. Finally, Wufei broke the silence. "I had no idea Duo. I don't know what to say."

"Wufei, there isn't anything that anyone can say to be honest. I'm broken. I know that. I always will be. All I ask is you help me get out of here."

There was a pained look on Heero's face. Duo realized just how much the two men sitting across had changed. There was emotion in their faces and their body language. There was feeling there. It was something he had never seen from them before. He regretted that he had not been part of their lives the past two years. He wished he could have changed for the better as well. There was nothing he could do about that though. He had to move onward and make a better life for himself. Before Duo knew it he was being embraced by Wufei. It caught him off guard. This was nothing like Wufei.

"But you can still be mended, Duo. Don't give up hope just yet, because we haven't." Wufei pulled away and held him at arms length. There was a shocked look on Duo's face. He was so shocked by the feel of Wufei's arms around him and the words he had said. Duo had no idea what to say. He simply stared at the former Shenglong pilot.

Heero stood and placed a hand on Duo's shoulder. "I'm sorry you had to go through that Duo. If we could have changed any of it we would have in a heart beat. I wish there was more we could say and do for you right now."

Duo looked at him. There was no sorrow in his own face. He had realized earlier that he had a chance to get out of his situation. He simply needed the two other men to help him. "I know Heero. Right now I just want to get as far away from this place as I possibly can. Can we leave?"

Wufei let go of him and stepped back. Heero let go of his arm and moved around to the back of the love seat. He placed his hands on the back and leaned on the couch. There was a strained look on their faces. "I know you want to get away fast Duo, but you want to leave tonight? What about your belongings?"

Duo let out a short laugh. He turned and walked away from them to look out at the city-scape through the window. It amazed him that such a beautiful city held such horrible things. He didn't look at them as he spoke. "I have nothing. Everything that could even be considered mine belongs to the man who enslaved me. Even the clothing I'm wearing right now. There is nothing left in this city for me."

There was a tense silence that filled the room. Duo had a feeling that they did not want to leave as quickly as him. He was unsure if he could convince them why it was so important to him he leave so quickly. They did not understand what it had been like for him the past year. Could they convince him to stay even one night longer though? There was no reason for him to stay and every reason for him to flee.

"Okay, I understand you want to leave as soon as possible Duo. How about you stay here for the night and we can make arrangements to leave in the morning?." Heero asked from behind him. Duo stared out at the heart of the city. He only had to stay for one more night and then he would be free of the hell. Could he do it? He had held on this long, why not just one more night?

"Very well. We can leave in the morning." He turned around and looked at the two men. They seemed tense and he found it difficult to read them. He wondered what they were thinking. Did they see him as broken glass? Were they treading lightly? Indeed he was broken, but he was still a soldier. He did not understand why they were acting this way. Then again, a lot of things seemed different. Maybe there was something he didn't know. There was something else that was bothering him though. He was itching to know if Heero and Wufei were an item. He did not want to ask outright but at the same time it seemed as if it should be painfully obvious. There was only one room with one bed and two of them. Surely if they could afford such an expensive room then sharing a bed would not have been necessary, unless it was voluntary.

"It's settled then. We will make arrangements tonight to leave by shuttle in the morning. We can rest tonight for the long trip ahead." This perked Duo's interested. He knew that due to technological advances traveling anywhere did not take more then a day. Where could they possibly be going that would be considered a long trip. "Duo, you can take the room for the night." Wufei gestured to the room behind Heero.

Duo almost laughed. "Thank you for the offer Wufei, but I think I would feel much more comfortable on the couch to be honest."

"Are you sure?" There was concern in the Chinese mans face. Duo realized that he really did care. This search for him had been more then a retrieval mission. It was a heart felt search and rescue mission by a friend. It made Duo smile inside. It was nice to know he still had friends, even if they had changed leaps and bounds.

"I'm sure. It's only for the night, and it looks expensive so I'm sure it will be comfortable enough."

It had been decided. Duo would sleep on the couch. They rang room service for extra pillows and blankets for him and a late night snack. There was a lot of silence, something that Duo did not find uncommon from the other two former pilots. He himself did not have much to say as he was not his usual perky self. He was observing the tension between the other two men. He did not understand what it was about and it was eating him up inside. He wanted to ask, but he felt it best not to. When the finished eating they readied themselves for bed. There wasn't much that Duo could do accept prepare his makeshift bed on the couch. The other two men retired to the bedroom and closed the door. The living area was quiet and lonely as he laid in the darkness with only his thoughts to accompany him. He found it difficult to sleep as all he could think about was his great escape that was about to take place in just a few hours.

 _End Chapter_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

The next morning Duo was wide awake when the sun made its way through the large window. He had not managed to sleep at all. It was not something uncommon to him. He usually had difficulty sleeping. It was scary sleeping in the same house with a bunch of crazed addicts. This morning he felt more alert then he usually did after no sleep though. He was filled with an excitement he found hard to contain. He had folded his blankets and straightened the couch back up well before the other two men came out of the room. Wufei came out of the room first, dressed and clearly ready for the day ahead. Heero trailed behind him with disheveled hair and sleepy eyes. Duo wondered if the ex wing pilot got any sleep.

"You're up early." Wufei commented as he sat down in the chair.

"Yeah, couldn't sleep last night." A small smile played on Duo's lips. He didn't want to look to excited but it was hard to hold it in. He had been praying for this moment for so long.

"I don't think you're the only one." Wufei's eyebrows perked up as he looked at Heero as the Japanese man sat down at the other end of the couch from Duo.

"Hn."

Duo noted that Heero seemed more like his old self then he did last night. He wondered if it was the lack of sleep. He also wondered why Heero didn't get any sleep last night either. What had caused him to stay awake? He wanted to ask but he held his question in. It was none of his business.

"Are you ready to go Duo? We are all packed and ready to go when you are." Wufei looked to him with inquiring eyes.

This was it. This was finally it. He never had to go back to that horrible house again and see those horrible people. Some day, when he had the strength he might return and exact his revenge. He was on his way to freedom and he never had to do the things he had done again. "I've been ready for a really long time Wufei. Can we go?"

"Okay, lets get going." They all stood and Heero retrieved the bags from the bedroom and they were on their way out of the room. They made their way down to the lobby where Wufei checked out of the room. Outside the car from last night was there waiting for them. Duo climbed into the back as the doorman helped Heero load the bags into the trunk. Wufei got into the drivers side and started the car up and waited for Heero to climb into the passenger side next to him. Moments later they were off and headed towards the shuttle station. Duo watched out the window. He wanted to enjoy the sights as he had not been in this area of the colony since he had arrived but he found it too difficult. The colony held too many bad memories for him to enjoy any of it no matter how magnificent it was.

In no time at all they were at the shuttle station and turning in the car. They made their way through security which was easy for Duo since he didn't have anything except the clothing he was wearing. Once they were cleared they got onto the shuttle. Duo noticed there was almost no one else on the shuttle. It was expensive to travel through space. It was completely different from taking a plane on earth. The weight of what Heero and Wufei were doing for him was starting to set in. He wondered who was funding everything. Was it Quatre in the background with his vast wealth or were Heero and Wufei paying for all of this themselves? He would have to ask them at some point to find out so that he could pay back at least the shuttle fee. Soon the shuttle was taking off and they were heading off into space.

The trip started off in silence, but Duo had questions burning inside of himself that he could not hold in. Duo was sitting across from Wufei and Heero with a table between them. They had just ordered lunch and were eating in silence when Duo decided he was going to ask some questions and hopefully get some answers.

"So, can I ask you guys some questions?" Duo asked, setting his fork down and looking at the two men across from him.

Wufei swallowed the food he had been chewing before answering. "Go ahead. You told us your deeply personal story last night, the least we could do is answer some questions."

"Okay, is Quatre behind all of this? Did he fund this whole escapade?"

There was a moment of silence. He wasn't sure if they were thinking or if the question shocked them. Their faces were too difficult too read. Finally Heero spoke up. "No, Quatre did not fund this. Wufei and I came looking for you on our own accord. Quatre did show concern for your absence but his money was not involved in any of this."

"Oh." That was all that Duo could manage to get out. His mind was trying to recalculate. He had been sure that Quatre had paid for everything. The room they had been in had been elegant and expensive. He knew that at the end of the war all the pilots were given a sum of money for their efforts but there was no way that Heero and Wufei could afford such an expensive hotel on those measly funds. They must have come into some money, which only raised more questions for Duo. Questions that he knew he had no place to ask because it was none of his business. It was almost as if they could see all the questions in his eyes.

"We managed to come into a lot of money Duo. You'll understand when we get to our destination. It shouldn't be long now actually." Heero went back to his food. Duo just looked at him a confused look on his face. The fact that he still had no information bothered him. What also bothered him was that he did not know where they were going. Were they going to earth or were they going to another colony. If it were up to him they would go to earth. He missed the sunsets and the way the moon looked. He enjoyed living on the colonies of course. He had grown up on them but the earth was so much more for him. He longed to breath in the fresh air. The only thing he could see out his tiny window was the darkness of space. He sighed inside. He still had more questions, but he figured it was best to keep them inside for the time being. Some things he knew would reveal themselves in time he would just have to be patient. He finished eating and sat back, relaxed and enjoy the feel of flying through space.

xxx

Duo had dozed off after lunch. He had been dreaming that he was laying in a field and a breeze was blowing across him. He was enjoying the solitude and the beauty of nature when he was rudely awakened by the call of his name and a shake of his shoulder. He opened groggy eyes and looked up into cobalt blue eyes. There was concern in them, and Duo was taken aback by the sudden beauty he saw there. They quickly moved away from him and he was sitting alone at the table as Heero stood in the aisle.

"We've landed Duo. It's time to get moving."

"Right, thanks." Duo shook his head to clear the sleep. He wondered how long he had been out. He stood up and stretched, looking around as he did. He noticed Wufei was out of sight and that Heero was making his way down the aisle and to the exit door. Duo quickly followed behind, eager to find out where they were. He stepped out of the shuttle behind Heero into the bright light of the sun. He basked in it, relishing in the feel of it. He knew he was on earth. Nothing could compare to the feeling of the real sun. He looked around and took in his surroundings as they made their way down the stairs. It was odd that the shuttle had not landed at a shuttle port like it normally did and he wondered why they were at an open landing strip. It did not look big but it did look old and overgrown. It was weird to him.

He followed Heero to a black four door car. He got into the back seat and noticed Wufei sitting in the front passenger seat. There was someone else sitting in the drivers seat, but he did not recognize the person. A moment after he got into the car, Heero was climbing in next to them and they were headed off. Duo watched out the window as they drove through a forest on a dirt road. The car was silent but he couldn't help but steal glances at Heero. The man had gotten even more handsome, though Duo didn't think that was even possible. He had also noticed that Wufei was just as handsome. They had both grown a lot from what he could tell. They were both still quiet, but they were different as well. There was something there that hadn't been there before. Duo liked the change, even if he didn't know exactly what the change was.

Outside the car they continued through a long and winding forest, and along side a mountain range. They drove for a long time, and Duo was beginning to understand why Wufei said it was going to be a long trip. Car rides always made things feel much longer then they really were. He was getting antsy and wanted to get out of the clothing he had been wearing for well over twenty four hours. The clothing that marked him as a slave and a whore. The clothing that he wished he could burn. He felt dirty and wanted to take a shower and get all the grime off. He wasn't sure how long it would take me him to feel truly clean, but getting the days sweat off at least would do him some good. He found himself feeling self conscious of his appearance. There Heero and Wufei were dressed in nice clothing and here he was wearing dirty clothing that was skin tight and left little to the imagination. He was dying to get out of the car and rid himself of the memories.

At long last after what seemed like forever to Duo, the car stopped. The other occupants began to get out and Duo realized he too should get out. He opened his door, stepped out and looked around. He was even more confused at what he saw though. They had arrived at what looked like a small town. There were a few cars but mostly people walking and riding bikes. He noticed a few old fashioned horse drawn chariots as well as many different styles of rickshaws. He noticed that most rickshaws were bike driven, and a few were being pulled by people. There was a more modern motorized rickshaw by their car and Duo wondered if they were going to be getting into it. Almost as if to answer his question the driver of the car was taking the two suit cases from the trunk and loading them onto the rickshaw. The rickshaw was not big, and Duo wondered how on earth all three men and two suit cases were going to fit onto it. The driver of the car climbed into the drivers seat of the rickshaw and waited.

Duo couldn't help but stare. They were seriously going to all have to squeeze into this tiny vehicle. He had no idea how they were going to do it. He knew he was going to have to voice his concerns.

"Are we all going to fit in that?" He asked as Heero and Wufei walked over to the rickshaw. Wufei stopped short and turned to look at him.

"It will be a bit of a tight fit, especially with the luggage, but I assure that three people can fit into this rickshaw." Duo could see a sadistic smile playing in Wufei's eyes, something he had never seen before. It caught him off guard and before he knew it he was sandwiched between the two other men and the rickshaw was on the move.

The fit was tight indeed. He never imagined he would be so close to both men. It was a situation that brought a blush to his cheeks and it brought ideas to his head that he did not wish to think at the moment. He fought his perverted thoughts back. Both men had been forced to place an arm behind his back. The fact that their arms were touching didn't seem to bother them and the fact that they were almost hugging him didn't bother him in the slightest. The driver drove them through the small town and onward into a forest. The ride was much more bumpy then the ride in the car. Duo noticed the way he moved against the other two men, and he also noticed the intoxicating way they both smelled. At first it was difficult to tell who smelled of what as he was so close to the both of them. He concentrated and noticed a spiced scent from Wufei and a more sweet smell coming from Heero. Alone the smells would have caused him to be heady, but together he felt like he was going to pass out it was so intoxicating.

He could feel his blood boiling inside. He had no idea that these two men could affect him in such a way. He had never looked at them in that way, until recently. He could not deny that he found them both attractive, but it was not until their close proximity that he realized just how much he wanted one or both of them. But surely Heero and Wufei were an item and there was no way he could get with either of them. He needed to get a level head and realize this, not to mention the situation he was just in. None of it looked good for him. He just needed to face reality and clear his head, but it was hard to clear anything when all he could think about was how amazing both of them smelled. When he finally got past their amazing smell, which took all of five minutes, he was then focused on the feel of their muscles against his arms. He groaned internally and wanted nothing more then to get out of the vehicle and get some distance from both men.

Moments later, the rickshaw stopped with a jolt. Duo looked around, wondering how long they had been moving. All around he saw forest, but a splash of color caught his eye. He could not see properly, until both men beside him got out and he was able to climb out of the rickshaw and look up ahead. Before them were many steps but beyond those steps was what looked like a grand palace. It was so massive and so magnificent it made Quatre's mansions look minuscule. It had such beautiful Chinese architecture; it was something Duo could hardly describe. Behind him, the driver was taking the bags out of the rickshaw and carrying them up the steps.

"What do you think Duo?" Wufei asked as he stood next to him.

"Its amazing. Its beautiful. I'm honestly at a loss for words." Duo heard a chuckle, and wondered if it was Wufei or Heero. It had been genuine, and something that he couldn't ever recall hearing from either men. He felt an arm on his shoulder.

"Well, lets head inside then."

Duo was still confused. Before he could ask any questions he was being pulled up the stairs towards the large entry doors. The inside of the palace was even more amazing then the outside. Upon entering the great hall of the palace, they were greeted by many servants that assisted them all in taking their shoes off and helped them into ornately designed slippers. Duo was in culture shock. Not only was he surrounded by such amazing Chinese architecture but the female servents were all dressed in long traditional Cheongsam's. His mind was filling with even more questions then before and he was beginning to wonder when he was going to get to ask them all.

"It has been a long day, and I expect you might like to bathe and change?" Heero inquired as Wufei headed off down a hallway. He seemed to be on some sort of mission, but it was another question that popped into Duo's head. He turned his attention to Heero instead.

"Kinda. I'm dying to get of these horrible clothing to be honest." Duo smiled sheepishly.

Heero's eyebrows perked up and there was a pause as if he was contemplating weather to comment or not. His face went back to normal though and he turned on his heal and dismissed the servants. "Okay, follow me and we can get you cleaned up and find you some different clothing."

As if on cue one of the servants followed them. She was extremely beautiful. Her Cheogsam was white with a black design. It stood out from the reds and blues that he had seen before. He wondered if she was special from the others. She followed them down a hallway a ways and into a bedroom. Heero turned to face both of them.

"This will be your bedroom Duo. There is a bathroom connected and Xiuying will show you how to use it. She will be your Mui Tsai while you are staying here. She will help you with everything and anything you need. Dinner will be in a few hours. That should give you plenty of time to get cleaned and dressed." Heero then turned to the young women standing behind Duo. "You may get Duo a Yukata from my room. The black one with the white obi should suit him well." Without another word Heero left the room.

Duo stood in the room for a moment taking it in. There were tatami mats on the floor and a shikibuton laid out in the middle of the floor. There was a small table in the corner of the room with a Japanese style tea pot and tea cups set in the center. Across from him was a door he assumed lead to the bathroom. He wondered what could possibly be so difficult that he would require someone to teach him in the bathroom. He had so many questions flying around his head. He figured he would start asking the woman who had followed him into the room some of them.

He turned around and was staring at a stunningly beautiful Chinese woman. To be more correct she was a young woman. She looked to be about sixteen. She had long black hair and piercing black eyes. Her makeup was done beautifully and she wore a small smile on her face.

"Hi."

"Hello, Duo Xiansheng. How may I assist you?"

"Well first can you tell me what exactly a Mui Tsai is?"

"A Mui Tsai is a young girl who is sold into servitude until she is married when she is old enough."

"Oh." There was a shocked and disgusted look on his face. He could tell she could read it because the pleasant look on her face changed.

"Please do not be confused. It is a great honor to work for the Chang house. My mother and farther are very poor and it is a great honor to work and live in the palace until the day I am married to a strong young man who can support me." Xiuying smiled again, clearly proud she had cleared any confusion up. Though Duo was not so sure. He still found it odd that Wufei was okay with buying young women into slavery. He would have to talk to him about it. The idea was odd. It seemed so mid-evil. He had more questions that needed answering though.

"Ookaay. My next question would be why does this room look Japanese when everything else looks Chinese?"

"It is complicated, however the best way to explain is that Heero Xiansheng requested part of the palace have a Japanese touch to it. Master gifted him a quarter of the palace to be redesign. Your room and bathroom has been redesign in the Japanese style. It is simple and elegant. Would you like me to show you the bathroom and how to use it properly?"

"Oh, sure." Duo was till trying to process all the information. Wufei had gifted Heero a quarter of the entire palace to redesign to have Japanese influence. It was no small feat. As they walked into the bathroom he couldn't help but wonder what it looked like before it was redesigned. The bathroom was just as simple as the bedroom. There was granite tile on the floor and halfway up the walls. To his left there was a stool with a shower head hooked low on the wall. It was much lower then modern shower heads he was used to. Next to the stool was a bathtub. Off to the right beside the bathtub there was a toilet. A tall wall divided the two from each other. There was a small sink next to the toilet on the opposite wall of the stool. It was extremely different from what Duo was used to. "Okay, this is not what I expected."

"You use the stool and sprayer to wash your hair and body. When you are done cleaning your body you soak in the water in the bath to relax. This is the traditional Japanese bathing method."

"Oh, well that's a bit different but I think I can manage. You don't have to soak in the bath, do you?" He walked out of the small space and back into the bedroom. He wondered where the towels were so he could begin his shower.

"Relaxing in the bath water is not required. There are towels in this closet if you would like to start cleaning yourself sir." She walked over to the wall across from the shikibuton and slid open a shoji revealing a nearly hidden closet. Inside there were towels and toiletries he could use.

"Thank you very much Xiyuing."

The young women exited the room, no doubt to get him some new clothing. He looked around the empty room. He realized it was just like Heero to decorate in such a manner. There was so little too it, but then again there didn't need to be more. It was functional, and that was all it needed to be. Duo thought about it all. It was obvious that something was going on between Wufei and Heero. He hated to say that they were a couple without actually knowing, but every moment it became more and more clear. And then there was the fact that they were in a palace for god sake and it seemed to belong to Wufei. How on earth did Wufei manage to get his hands on a palace? Duo knew that everything would get explained eventually, but he hated waiting. He just wanted answers.

He undressed in the bedroom, looking around for a place to put his undesirable clothing. He pushed them into the corner and made his way into the bathroom. He placed his towels on a small shelf next to the door. He wondered if the shelf was traditional. He recalled seeing an anime where people wore their towels on their heads, but he couldn't figure out how they washed their hair if they had their towels on their heads. He was grateful for the shelf as he sat down and began to wash the dirt and grime of two days off his body. He could still smell the spice and sweetness of Heero and Wufei on him and he regretted that he had to wash it off, but he reminisced in their aromas as he washed himself clean.

 _End Chapter_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Duo stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist and a towel wrapped around his hair. He was in his own little world but was startled when he saw Xiyuing kneeling by the doorway. He felt oddly self conscious. Her gaze was averted though which gave him some comfort. He turned his back to her and was about to walk back into the bathroom when she spoke.

"There is no need to worry sir. I have been well trained. I will not look as you dry and dress. Your Yukata is hanging in the closet. You will find a white Obi with it as well as white tobi and a pair of zori. Duo made a face he know she could not see. All these Japanese words she was saying he had no idea what she was talking about. He dried himself off, but with his back facing her and braided his hair, tying it off at the end with a black hairband. He then made his way to the closet with a towel wrapped around his waist. He found what he assumed was a Yukata there and a bunch of other items placed neatly on a shelf. The only thing that looked familiar to him was a pair of white boxers. His eyebrows perked up and he grabbed them and scrambled into them. That was the only thing he was going to be able to get on without any help and he knew it. He turned to the young women.

"Um, to be honest I have no idea what any of this is? Can you help me?" He felt silly, asking for help to get dressed. Xiuying peaked up discreetly to make sure he was decent before she looked up properly and stood. She made her way over to the closet and took hold of the Yukata.

"The Yukata is simply a casual summer kimono. It can be worn by men and women. It is worn with an Obi, or sash." She began to explain as she helped him into the garment and wrapped it around his body. She wrapped the white obi around his waist. "The kimono is more of a formal garment to be worn at weddings and formal events." She finished tying the obi behind him and grabbed the remaining items from the shelf. "Tabi are ankle high socks that separate the toes." She helped him into them, separating the big toe from the others. "They can be difficult to get used to at first but they are design to be used with the zori which are flat thonged Japanese sandals. These are the only shoes allowed to be worn inside the palace other then the slippers." She stood after he had slipped the zori onto his feet and looked him up and down.

"I wish there was a mirror in this room. I've never worn anything like this before." He felt weird. He was grateful for the boxers he was wearing but he still felt a little naked.

"I assure you Duo Xiansheng you look very striking. Black suits you, and the white is an amazing contrast. Heero Xiansheng seems to know you very well."

Duo's eyebrows perked up at that comment. He wondered what that meant, though it could have meant nothing at all. Xiuying was simply a servant girl who was only making observations after all.

"It is almost time for dinner, we should head to the dinning room."

"Lead the way." He smiled. He was hoping that some of his questions would get answered over dinner. He was excited not only for that but also to see more of the amazing architecture of the place. He wondered if he would see more Japanese design or Chinese design. As they made their way through the maze of halls he noticed everything had a Chinese design and architecture. He pondered why only his room was Japanese. They finally made it to the dining room. It was not nearly as big as he had expected it, though he was thinking of some vast viking hall with Chinese decorations and he had no idea why he was thinking this. The room was about double the size of his bedroom. In terms of dinning rooms it was a good size.

It dawned on him that it had to be the small dinning room as there was no way party's could be thrown in this room. There was a table in the middle of the room that could seat about six people comfortably. Wufei sat at one end of the table dressed in a modern black Mao suit. Heero sat at the other end dressed in a dark blue patterned kimono with black hakama. They both looked breath taking to Duo. They were talking quietly about something but stopped when he entered the room. They looked at him as he sat at one of the chairs. He ended up sitting closer to Heero, though that was not his intention. He couldn't decide who he had wanted to sit closer to and he had just sat down as quickly as possible. He wanted to know what they were talking about, but the conversation did not continue.

There was a moment of silence before dinner came out. It was some Chinese dish that Duo was not familiar with, but he was famished so he did not care. He payed close attention to both Heero and Wufei to pick up on how to eat properly and all that good stuff but it was difficult. Both men did wildly different things. It was no surprise as they were from two different cultures. Though China and Japan were close to each other they were two completely different cultures. There were similarities of course, but everything was different. Duo did his best to eat with his manners and not make a fool of himself. When he finished he placed his chopsticks beside his bowl.

Suddenly Xiyuing was beside him. She leaned down and whispered in his ear. "Are you finished eating, Duo Xiansheng?"

"Um, yes. Why?" He whispered back. She took the chopsticks and placed them on the bowl, parting them slightly to make a 'V'.

"When you are finished with your meal you must place your chopsticks like this to indicate it so that the server knowns you do not want more."

"Oh, thanks." Just as quickly as she appeared, the young woman was gone. He reminded himself to praise her. He had no idea where she had come from or where she went but she was good at her job. He definitely liked her, and he liked that she was so helpful and did not judge him. There were other things on his mind though. Questions that he wanted answered.

"I'm sure you have plenty of questions by now, am I right Duo?" Wufei asked as he folded his hands in front of him.

"Yeah, actually I do."

"Would you like to retire to the tea room, Jueye?" A female servant asked Wufei before anyone else could speak. There was a moment of thought before he nodded his head and they all stood. Duo followed as they left the dinning room and moved to the room next door. It was decorated lavishly and the chairs looked comfortable. The chairs were arranged in a circle with small tables between them and a large circular table in the middle. There were a total of eight chairs in all. They all sat down.

"Would you like some tea Duo?"

"Oh, no thank you."

"Very well. Go ahead with your questions."

"Oh." It was almost like he wasn't ready or something. Here he was getting the opportunity to ask as many questions as he wanted and he was drawing a blank. Maybe it was the two handsome men sitting across from him. They had sat right next to each other and he had sat right across from them. How had he managed that? Wufei had a cup of tea in his hands and Heero was eyeing him, though Duo couldn't read the emotion in his eyes. There was something there, something that Duo couldn't quite place. He had seen it in Heero's eyes before, back at the hotel. It had bothered him then, but there had been so much going on that he hadn't thought much of it. Now, though there was so much he did not know, things had calmed down. What was that look?

"Duo?"

Duo looked at Wufei. He realized he was staring into Heero's eyes without noticing it. He hoped that it looked like he had only spaced out. He fought back a blush that was creeping into his cheeks. "Sorry," he mumbled before regaining composure. "I guess my first question is all of this. Where did all of this come from? Where are we?"

"We are in a province in China. Shortly after the war I found out I was a decedent of royalty and, after much debate, went on an adventure to find out more about my past. It led me here. This palace has been in my family for centuries, though recently I have made some modifications and renovations."

"Okay, next question..." Duo paused, wondering how he should word it. "I gotta know, are you two a thing?"

Duo could see a smile playing on Wufei's lips. "If you are asking if Heero and I are a couple then the answer is yes."

"Oh, okay."

"Why, does that bother you?"

"No, not all." Though he had to admit that it broke his heart a little bit. It meant he had no chance with either of them. "I just wasn't one hundred percent sure and I was tired of guessing."

"Okay, anything else you wanted to know?"

"Yeah, actually, what made you guys come looking for me?"

There was a moment, a pause and the two men looked at each other. Duo wondered if they had decided to tell him this yet or not. Wufei looked back at him and began. "It had been a long time since anyone had heard from you Duo, and we were getting worried so we used our skills and started looking for you. The easy part was finding the colony you were on. It was hard locating you after that, but we managed to track you down. What matters now is that you are out of that situation and safe. You can stay here as long as you want. We can get clothing that suits you and you can enjoy everything this area has to offer."

"Do I have to stay here?"

A shocked and hurt look flashed across Wufei's face before he regained his composure. "No, you do not have to stay here if that does not make you happy. You can go where ever you like Duo. You are a free man. If you tell me you want to leave tomorrow I will arrange for you to leave. However, I urge you to spend some time relaxing and reflecting. You have been through a lot in the past year and I think it would be good for you to get away from everything."

Duo thought for a moment. Wufei had a point. Not that he wanted to leave right away anyway. He was just asking the question. He didn't want to be trapped without a way out again. He needed to know he could leave whenever he wanted. That was enough for him. He would stay and enjoy everything the area had to offer. He had never been to china before, so it would be a new experience for him.

"I have no intentions of leaving any time soon, I just needed to be sure I could leave when I wanted to." Duo stated matter-of-factually.

He could see relief wash over Wufei. It bothered him though. There was something there that he was missing. Something he just could not figure out. There was something in Heero's eyes he could not figure out, and something about Wufei. He could tell that Wufei wanted him to stay, but he wasn't sure exactly why. What was he missing?

"Is there anything else?"

Duo thought. "I don't have to keep wearing this kind of thing?" Duo pointed at the Yukata. "I mean, it looks cool and all it's just I'm not used to it and I prefer jeans." Duo saw amusement in Wufei's eyes.

"We can take you out and get you some clothing more to your liking. In the mean time are you okay wearing the Yukata's? They are the only thing that will fit you right now."

"Oh, yeah that's fine. I mean, they look really nice. And that Kimono looks great on you Heero, don't get me wrong, I just don't know if this looks good on me is all."

"I think it looks amazing on you Duo," Heero growled. It sent shivers down Duo's spine and a warmth spread to his groin. He crossed his legs tightly to contain the feeling. He had a feeling he understood that look in Heero's eyes.

Wufei cleared his throat. "If there are no more questions I think it's time we all head off to bed."

"Great idea." Duo jumped up and spun around. Xiuying was there ready to lead him back to his room. He was grateful for the distraction. Heero had affected him in such a way he just wanted to go to his room and get some sleep and try his best to not think about it.

xxx

Heero pressed himself against Wufei, kissing him passionately and forcefully. Clothing was coming off frantically and they were quickly making their way to the bed. It was as if they hadn't touched each other in weeks, even though that had not been the case. They touched each other ever chance they got. They had been together for almost two years and the passion in their relationship was as hot a fire as when it began, if not hotter now. It was as if Heero couldn't contain the passion inside of himself.

"Heero, calm down." Wufei gasped, pushing the other man away slightly.

Heero nipped at Wufei's collarbone, eliciting a yelp from the Chinese man. "You know I can't."

"You can and you need to."

"I cant stop thinking of him. I want him. I want him with you. I want it so fucking bad." Heero thrust his tongue into Wufei's mouth. He laid him down on the bed and straddled him. Wufei stroked the Japanese mans muscular arms. Heero broke the kiss to position himself.

"I want him too you know," Wufei whispered, staring deep into cobalt blue eyes.

"I know." Heero bent down for another kiss before plunging into Wufei's entrance. There was a cry of pleasure from both men and they began to move against each other. The rhythm was frantic and they quickly grew closer to climax. Every thrust brought them closer until they could not hold it in any longer and they orgasmed together. Heero pulled out of Wufei and laid down next to him. They were both panting and covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

"Im sorry. I didn't mean for it to be so quick." Heero apologized, staring at the ceiling.

"Don't apologize. It still felt as amazing as all the other times." Wufei rolled over and kissed him quickly before getting up to go to the bathroom and clean up.

Heero waited for the other man to return from the bathroom to continue the conversation. When Wufei finally walked back in, Heero was under the covers of the bed. "It's not going to be easy you know."

"I know. He is broken and he needs time to mend. I intend to give him that time, but I don't think it will take nearly as long as you think it will." Wufei climbed into the bed next to Heero and settled in.

"Why do you say that?"

"I noticed the way he was looking at you while you were staring him down. At first I thought he was spacing out, but he blushed when I pulled him out of it. And the way you were staring at him Heero, did you have to be so obvious?" Wufei gave Heero a disapproving look in the dim light of the room.

"I wasn't trying to be, he just looked so amazing in that Yukata. I couldn't take my eyes off of him."

Wufei sighed. They had a lot of work ahead of them, but he knew they could manage it. He just needed things to go according to plan and everything would fall right into place.

 _End Chapter_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Duo woke the next morning to find Xiuying kneeling beside the doorway. She was staring at her hands. He wondered how long she had been kneeling there, and if she had to kneel there every time she walked in. He made a note that he would have to ask her more questions. He sat up and the blankets fell and pooled around his waist. He was only wearing the white boxers from the day before as he had declined any night clothing. He had stayed warm enough throughout the night even though he had slept almost on the floor and he had found the shikibuton strangely comfortable. When he sat up Xiuying noticed he was awake and she stood up ready to serve him in any way he needed.

"Good morning, Duo Xiansheng."

"Good morning Xiuying. Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Why do you kneel by the door?"

"Oh, that is where I have been trained to wait until I have been given instruction. I can either stand or kneel. In Chinese culture kneeling is more respectful so I choose to kneel while I wait. Is there anything else you would like to know?" She had a smile on his face, and he liked that. He also liked that she was not talking down to him like he was a child. She was informing him of the way the culture he had been immersed into was. He knew she would be a great help to him.

"Yeah, do you know what I am wearing today?" He asked with a bit of a laugh.

"I have taken the liberty of retrieving a dark gray yukata for you. It has an espresso brown obi with it. I hope it is to your liking Duo Xiansheng. From what I have gathered you prefer dark colors, am I correct?"

"Yes, that is correct thank you."

"Would like assistance dressing?"

"Oh, I think I can try on my own. I might need help with the sash though." He climbed up off the floor and made his way to the closet. As he slid open the shoji, he heard Xiuying making the bed behind him. Inside the closet was the yukata with a new set of items neatly folded on a shelf beside it. He slipped into the yukata and wrapped it around himself and attempted to tie the obi but realized how difficult it was and asked the young woman for help. She tied with quickly and with ease. He then put on the rest of the items.

"Are you ready to head down for breakfast. I believe Jueye Chang and Heero Xiansheng have already begun."

"Breakfast sounds great. I'm starving." Duo wondered what they would be eating. Last night it had been a noodle dish that had been tasty but he did not know what it was called. It dawned on him that he had no idea what the Chinese ate for breakfast. He wondered if he should ask before he got another culture shock. Before he could get any questions out though they were at the dinning room and he was being ushered in. Heero and Wufei were in the same places as the night before, though dressed more casually. Heero was in blue jeans and a black t-shirt and Wufei was in a pair of black slacks and a white button up collared shirt. Duo noticed that the shirt was tucked in, but the top few buttons were undone showing off the top of his chest. It brought a blush to Duo's face and he fought it down, averting is gaze and rushing to the table to take his seat beside Heero.

Both men had already started to eat. Before Duo could ask what to do, Xiuying was beside him, serving the food on the table to him. She ladled a bowl of the porridge that was in the middle of the table and set it down in front of him. He looked at it, noticing instead of chopsticks that he had an oddly shaped spoon next to him. The porridge was white and thick but he noted that there was greenery and what looked to be meat in the mix. He decided the only way that he would know is if he tried it. He took a tentative bite, testing the heat and taste. It was not too hot and it did not taste bad at all. He smiled inside and began to eat.

When breakfast was finished the bowls were taken away and once again they were offered the go to the tea room. Wufei accepted the offer and they all headed to the tea room beside the dining room. Duo declined the offer for tea and watched as Wufei accepted as did Heero. He never had been a tea person. He did not understand the appeal of it. If he did ever get tea, he had to drown it in sugar and then he just didn't see the point of it. It was the same with coffee. He needed ridiculous amounts of sugar and cream to make it drinkable. It was best to pass it up then suffer the taste.

"I was thinking we could head out and get you some clothing today Duo. How do you feel about that?"

Duo looked at Wufei. He was a little shocked. He had no money, no way of buying any clothing and here Wufei was talking about buying clothing. Duo didn't know what to say. Was Wufei implying that he would buy the clothing, and if that was the case then Duo did not like that at all. He already owed him for the shuttle trip, he didn't want to owe him for the clothing as well. At the same time, he couldn't keep wearing yukatas until he figured out a way to get clothing that fit him. He was stuck in a bind.

"Well, sure, if that's what you want to do."

Wufei laughed. It was a sound that bloomed inside of Duo and made his heart skip a beat. It was something he couldn't recall hearing, but it was beautiful and he wanted to hear more of it. "I do almost anything that I want to do Duo. I'm asking you if you want to get some new clothing. I am offering to get you a new wardrobe. I'm sure you don't want to wear Heero's yukatas forever."

At the sound of his name, Duo looked at Heero. He saw the same look, as before in his eyes. It had not changed, had not wavered. It sent shivers down his spine. He wondered if it was because of the way he was dressed. Did Heero like him? How could that be the case though when he was clearly with Wufei. Duo tried to not think on it and looked away and back to Wufei. "I wont deny that I would love a whole new wardrobe, but I don't want to make you pay for it."

"You aren't making me do anything Duo. I want to buy it for you. I have more money then I know what to do with, and I want to buy you things that you need. You can either accept it willingly or I can buy them regardless. Think of it as a gift." Wufei stated matter-of-factually.

Duo was stunned. Wufei had been so blunt and he had not expected it. He thought for a moment. If he thought of it as a gift, then it would not be so difficult to accept the clothing, though it would still be difficult. "Okay, if it's a gift then I suppose you can buy me a whole new wardrobe."

"It's settled then, we will head out and get you some clothing when we are finished with our tea."

xxx

They had ridden the rickshaw back into the small town. Duo found himself once again sandwiched between the two men, and smothered by their amazing scents. He was heady and found it difficult to concentrate. He wondered if they were doing it to him on purpose, though he couldn't figure out why they would do such a thing. It was a silly idea that came into his befuddled mind. When they arrived at the town they stopped at the black car that had brought them from the landing strip. The driver switched vehicles and they all scrambled in the car. This time Heero sat in the front and Wufei sat in the back seat with Duo. Duo was still finding it difficult to think so he leaned his head against the window and watched the trees pass by outside.

There was a gentle touch on his arm and he looked over to see Wufei looking at him with concern. He had not been looking out the window for long and they had not traveled far.

"Are you okay Duo?"

Duo noticed Heero look back slightly. "Yeah, I'm fine." Duo plastered a grin on his face and went back to looking out the window. He couldn't admit that the reason he didn't feel good was because he felt light headed from how amazing he and Heero smelled. By the time they got to the landing strip the light headed feeling had cleared up and he felt much better. They climbed out of the car and Duo noticed that the space shuttle was no longer there. It had been replaced by a regular private jet. Duo was starting to wonder exactly how much money Wufei had as they boarded the plane. The inside was decked out and spacious. The stewardess offered them refreshments and snacks which Duo declined. He took a seat that was away from both Wufei and Heero. It was not that he didn't want to sit by them. He just needed some time to think to himself without them distracting him.

The plane took off and Duo soon found himself extremely bored. Sitting alone was no fun, and his thoughts were maddening. All he could think about was how great both men smelled and how amazing their bodies felt against his while they were riding in the rickshaw. No matter how hard he tried he just could not get them out of his head. Even when he told himself that they were a couple and they were out of bounds. His mind kept playing erotic scenes out despite his constant fight against them. He wanted a distraction, and wondered if having a conversation would help but he was afraid to stand up. He feared that his body might betray him. He asked the stewardess for something to entertain him and he was given a handheld device for viewing current events. Thankfully that was enough to calm him down and distract his mind from his crazy thoughts. He had not been up to date on current events in a year and it was nice to know what was going on.

The plane trip was not long, and by the time they landed it was almost lunch time. They departed the plane and were greeted by a young male driver who lead them to another black four door car. They all climbed in in the same formation as before and were head off. Wufei gave the driver directions as Duo looked out the window. He could tell they were still in China, but he had no idea where at. It was a big city, so he could only guess was that it was Beijing. Suddenly, they stopped and Wufei instructed that they get out. Duo followed Heero and Wufei as they led the way to a place to eat for lunch.

The lunch had been intensely Chinese, and Duo was beginning to get the feeling that he would be eating a lot of Chinese food for awhile. Not that he was complaining. He hadn't eaten great for the past year, so the food he was getting was amazing, though he couldn't deny that a burger and some fries sounded amazing right then and there. After lunch they headed out on foot to do some shopping.

They had been shopping for almost four hours, and Duo was starting to drag. Wufei seemed to be having a blast spending his money, but Duo couldn't quite gauge how Heero was doing. He looked exactly the same as he did when they first started. Duo was sure that they had enough clothing, but after every store Wufei insisted that they needed only a few more items. Duo had no idea how the Chinese man kept finding different styles of black clothing. He had found some other dark colors he had liked, but he liked to stick primarily to black. After they had been in what felt like the millionth store Duo had to put his foot down. He never knew shopping could be so exhausting.

"Are we done yet Wufei? I think we got enough clothing." Duo looked behind them at the three male servants that were carrying the bags. He had no idea where they had even come from. They had just shown up out of the blue and started carrying things for them. Duo knew that Wufei had a lot of money, but he wasn't the emperor or anything and he surely wasn't a magician. How did he manage to make three servants that were not on the plane magically appear?

"Do you want to be done? I know of a great store just down the street that has some items I think you will like."

"Yes, I want to be done. You said that about the past five stores, and you have been correct do not get me wrong. Everything you have bought has been absolutely amazing. I have never seen such amazing styles in my entire life. Shopping is exhausting though, and I am tired." Duo admitted, wishing to sit down.

"Okay, we can be done. We can always come back and do more shopping some other time." Wufei gave him a small smile that lit up his heart inside. It was such a rare sight to see either men smile and he wished he could bottle it every time he saw it. If only he had a camera, but that would be too obvious. They waved a taxi down and headed back to the airport where the privet jet was awaiting them. They waited as the new luggage was loaded onto the plane before they headed back in the direction of the palace.

Duo reflected on the day as the plane flew through the sky. It had been much more then he had anticipated. Never in his wildest dreams would he ever imagine having so much clothing. Wufei had gone too far, but there was nothing he could say. The other man had been too amazing to him already. What more could he possibly give him? He watched out the window and thought. He owed the other man so much. He had saved his life and taken him to his palace and fed him and clothed him and it brought back horrible memories. Not the saving his life part, that part he was more grateful for then he could ever express. But the feeding him and clothing him made him think of the man who had enslaved him.

Everything had been provided for him, and it was once again being provided for him. The situation was different but it felt the same in a way and he could not figure out why. Maybe his body and brain just couldn't tell the difference. Either way, he could feel the excitement he had felt since he had left the colony slipping from his grasp. Instead he felt himself creeping back into the depression he had felt for so long. The hopelessness and despair were twisting themselves deep into his skin and he hated the feeling but he didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to free himself from the feeling. It sent a shiver down his spine and he curled in on himself. He just wanted to get back and curl up in bed and go to sleep with high hopes that he would feel different in the morning.

xxx

Heero turned his gaze away from the curled up frame of the American man three rows down from them. He looked to Wufei with an intensity in his eyes. "You over did it Wufei. You went too far."

"I can see that. Thank you for stating the obvious, Heero." Wufei hissed. He was irritated. He had only wanted to make Duo feel welcomed and gift him items that he was in need of. Wufei did not get a chance to spend his money often, and he enjoyed buying things for other people. When the opportunity presented itself he tended to outdo himself. He never imagined it would make Duo react the way he was. The brunette looked so fragile and even more broken then he did when they first picked him up. He was dying to know what was going on in his mind. He would do anything to right the wrong he had done. He just wished he could make the young man feel better inside.

"What are you going to do now?"

Wufei sighed, looking to Heero. "The only thing I can do is give him some space. I don't want to smother him. I wish I knew what he was going through, but bombarding him with questions could make it worse. If he wants to come to one of us then he will. There is nothing we can do right now."

Heero nodded, stealing a glance at Duo. He was still staring out the window with his legs pulled up close to his chest and his arms wrapped around his knees. It hurt the Japanese man to see him that way, but he knew that Wufei was right. They had to give him space and let him come to them if he wanted.

 _End Chapter_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

It had been three days since the shopping trip and Duo was still feeling out of sorts. He had used his time during the day to look around the palace and enjoy everything it had to offer. There was so many traditional aspects yet many modern things as well. He wondered at one point if Wufei had been the only one to put in the modern additions. During his time, Xiuying was there to help him and guide him. He was a great help and he was thankful for her. He constantly thanked her for her help, something he could tell she was not used to as it caused her to blush and thank him in turn. He noticed that he did not see much of Heero or Wufei in his time. The only time that he saw them was at lunch and dinner, and a few times that was only in passing. He wondered if they were avoiding him, or if it was merely coincidence. He couldn't think of any ideas why they would be avoiding him, so he chalked it up to coincidence.

He could not lie that he was enjoying the new wardrobe that Wufei had bought for him. All the clothing fit perfectly and he loved how it all looked on him. Xiuying had helped him fill up the closet in his room and when it was completely filled and he still had clothing she showed him another closet that he had not noticed before on the other side of the room. With both closets full he had plenty of clothing for months, even though the servants washed laundry on a regular basis.

One morning he sat at breakfast alone, eating dumplings that were all filled with different fillings. He was enjoying that everyone he grabbed had something different in the middle and each one was just as tasty as the one before, if not better. He realized that he was enjoying himself, even if it was alone, and it made him happy. It had been a long time since he had enjoyed eating. He decided he wanted to do other things that he would enjoy. He thought for a moment as he chewed on a dumpling that he found was filled with pork. He wondered if there was somewhere in the palace where he could work out. He had gotten so weak in the past year and he needed to get back to his former strength. That for sure would make him happy, and he knew he would enjoy working out. It would help him focus and hopefully sort things out. He was still feeling down from the shopping trip and needed a pick me up. He had hoped to see more of Heero and Wufei, but they both seemed to be extremely busy so he hadn't seen much of them. When he finished chewing he turned around to where Xiuying was standing behind him.

"Xiuying, after breakfast, is there somewhere we can go to work out?"

"There is a fitness room, is that something you would be interested in?"

Duo jumped up in excitement. "That's perfect. Can we go?"

"Certainly. Would you like to go now?"

"I think I have something I can change into first. I know you need to eat something so you can meet me at my room when you finish?"

A small smile crept up on Xiuying's face. He knew she appreciated how thoughtful he was. He had tried to figure out after the first few days when she ate, slept or used the bathroom because it never seemed like she did any of that. He noticed when he was busy with something she was absent though, and in those times she took leave to use the rest room or eat. He disliked the fact that the servants were not allowed to eat when the rest of the house ate, but he respected that that was the way the culture was. Therefore, he worked around it.

"If that is what you wish, Duo Xiansheng."

"Of course." He smiled and headed off to his room to change and allow her time to eat breakfast. In his room he changed into a pair of black running shorts and a black tank top. It was a simple outfit but that was all he needed to work out. He was ready to get fit and strong again, all he needed to do was wait for Xiuying to show him the way to the fitness room.

xxx

Heero lifted the barbell above his head before letting it go to fall to the floor. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked over to Wufei over on the treadmill. "We can't keep avoiding him Wufei. I thought you said you wanted him to come to us if he wanted to. How can he do that if he never sees either of us?"

Wufei checked his pulse for thirty seconds before responding. "I'm just trying to give him space. I don't think there is anything wrong with that. Plus, it gives him a chance to get a feel of the palace."

"What if he realizes we are avoiding him though? That's not going to look good." Heero moved on to lifting dumbbells.

"I don't think he will. We won't do it for much longer, we will just give him a little more space. It's my fault that he feels the way he does, I'm trying to fix it. Just trust me." There was a stern look on Wufei's face.

"I do trust you Wufei, I just don't think-" Heero cut was sentence short when he saw the Duo walk into the fitness room. The American was looking back and waving at Xiuying and thanking her. When he turned around he had a shocked look on his face.

"Oh, hi guys! Fancy meeting you here. I haven't seen much of you guys lately."

"Sorry, we've been a little busy." Wufei mumbled, not making eye contact. He had to admit that he felt bad that they were avoiding Duo, but he knew that the other man needed the space. He didn't want to smother him. He did

n't want to do anything to loose him.  
Heero watched as Duo smiled and made his way over to the weight bench. He wondered if the space they were giving him was helping him, but he couldn't be sure without asking.

"Can you spot me for a bit, Heero?" Duo asked as he put weights on the bar.

Heero snapped out of his daze, and let the question process. "Sure." He moved over and stood behind the weight bench as Duo laid down and grabbed hold of the bar. He watched as the American let the bar come down to his chest before pushing it back up and repeating. To be honest, he had wanted to leave the fitness room when Duo had entered, but he didn't want to be rude or standoffish by denying Duos request. Just being in the same room as Duo made his blood pump and his mind go fuzzy. Being close to the brunette had been maddening the few times they had been squished together in the rickshaw and he wanted to avoid that close contact again at all costs. Wufei only knew a little of how he felt. He had no idea just how intensely Duo affected Heero.

Heero watched Duos movements closely. He watched his muscles flex with each repetition and he found it difficult to fight against his bodies natural reaction. He wanted to get away, but he didn't want to abandon Duo. The Japanese man stole a glance at Wufei. He was sitting on a bench across the room wiping his face with a towel and watching with an amused smirk on his face. Heero felt irritation swell up inside of himself which helped his blood pump away from undesirable areas. He concentrated on the task at hand. Duo was slowing down. Even though it was not a lot of weight, Duo had lost a lot of muscle tone in the past year. Heero grabbed the bar and helped him with the last push up. Duo let his arms fall down with a sigh of relief.

"Thanks Heero. That last rep was tough." Duo smiled and sat up slowly.

"Any time." Heero moved away from the weight bench. He gave Wufei a trademark death glare as he passed him on his way to grab his water bottle in the corner of the room. Wufei simply smiled back.

"So Duo, what are your plans for the day?"

"Oh, I don't know. I've been exploring the palace lately. Its absolutely massive. I cant believe I hadn't found this room until Xiuying lead me here. I haven't even made it out to the gardens yet."

"Yes, it can be quite overwhelming at first, but you can do almost anything here. There have been a lot of modern modifications done." Wufei stood up and grabbed his water bottle and towel. "Well, I'm going to clean up. Enjoy your workout Duo." He waved before walking out. Heero said his goodbyes before quickly following after the Chinese man.

Heero finally caught up to Wufei in the bedroom. He was almost to the bathroom when the Japanese man grabbed his arm and spun him around and pulled him into his arms and kissed him hard. The kiss was deep and intense. Heero let his hands roam across Wufei's body, pulling him close and pressing his need against his body. They finally pulled away from each other panting. Heero stared into Wufei's eyes.

"Where is your self control, Heero?" Wufei smirked, resting his hands on Heero's shoulders.

"I think I do a damn good job at showing my self control, but I don't have to have any self control in this room." Heero growled, pressing himself against Wufei.

"You can't always get what you want Heero." Wufei's smile was gone, and his looked at the Japanese man seriously.

"I have yet to see that happen." He leaned in and kissed Wufei more gently. He wormed his hands under the other mans shirt and traced lines on the soft skin of his back. The chinese man shivered at the gentle touch. They broke the kiss and stared into each others eyes.

"Why do you affect me so?" Wufei whispered, almost to himself.

"You do the same thing to me," Heero whispered back before stealing another kiss.

xxx

Duo found him self exploring the gardens later that morning. He was enjoying the beauty and silence of them more then he had expected. Xiuying had left him to tend to other things as he enjoyed himself. He had explored so much of the palace he was confident he could find his way around without help. If he got lost then he would have fun finding his way around. He enjoyed having Xiuying around, but it was also nice to have time to himself. It gave him time to think and reflect on everything. At the current moment, he was thinking about his encounter with Heero and Wufei earlier that morning in the fitness room.

Wufei had been relaxed and even pleasantly surprised to see Duo. He did not seem like he was unhappy that to see him at all. This made Duo feel good and gave him hope that they were not avoiding him. Heero, on the other hand, was not relaxed. He seemed tense and Duo thought for a moment he felt some hesitation from him. It was possible that he was reading way too into it, but he could not deny what he saw and felt. He wondered why Heero was so tense. Had Duo said or done something to bother or upset him? Duo had been so sure that Heero liked him. Duo thought back to the day in the tea room when Heero had stared at him and told him he had looked amazing in the Yukata. The look in his eyes was almost a hunger. Just the thought of it gave him shivers.

Heero was so hard to read. Duo couldn't help but wonder why he was trying to figure him out in the first place. Even if there was the slightest chance that Heero liked him, he was with Wufei. That made him off limits. Duo could never think of doing anything with Heero behind Wufei's back. They were friends, and he had just saved Duo's life. Knowing this didn't help the feelings he felt inside. He knew he liked both Heero and Wufei, which only confused him even more.

Duo sighed and fell back into the grass he had been sitting in. He looked up at the clear blue sky. A stray cloud slowly floated overhead and he watched it. He wished he could float away on the cloud and forget about his trivial problems. He shook his head. He could hardly believe that he was stressing about silly things, but that was the only thing he could think of. That was the only thing that was keeping his mind occupied at the moment. He needed to find something to keep his mind busy. Something to help him stop thinking about how much he liked Heero and Wufei.

There was a rustling sound and Duo sat up. He was certain that whatever God resided in heaven was trying to torment him because he saw Wufei and Xiuying coming down the path. They were talking to each other and they both laughed. Duo wondered what was so funny and felt a pang of jealousy. It took him by surprise. He was jealous of Xiuying and he didn't even know why they were laughing. But he knew why he was jealous. He wanted to be the one laughing with Wufei. He scolded himself. It was not her fault. They were only having a friendly conversation, and Wufei wasn't even his so he couldn't even begin to get jealous.

They drew closer and stopped beside him. "Thank you for showing me where he was, Xiuying."

"You're welcome, Jueye." Xiuying bowed before heading back the way they came.

Wufei looked down at Duo with a smile on his face. "Do you mind if I sit down?"

"Go ahead."

Wufei sat down beside Duo, crossing his legs. "Are you enjoying the gardens?"

"Yeah, they're really calming. It's a good place to think."

"Yes, I like to come out here and think sometimes. It's very nice at night too." Wufei looked up at the sky.

There was a moment of silence. There was a light gust of wind and Duo caught Wufei's scent. He closed his eyes and relished in the smell. He loved it and hated it at the same time. He wanted so bad to touch the other man but knew he couldn't and it was killing him inside.

"I have a question for you." Wufei's words pulled Duo out of his trance.

"Yes?"

"There is a festival taking place in the city this evening. Would you like to attend it?"

Duo thought for a moment. It was a chance to get out of the palace and to think of other things. It was the perfect opportunity. "That sounds like fun. I think I would like that."

"Fantastic. We will be leaving shortly so I suggest you go and get ready. We will be meeting in the great hall." Wufei stood.

"Does it matter what I wear?"

"No, not really." Wufei smiled. "As long as you are comfortable." Wufei turned and left Duo to his thoughts.

It didn't take Duo long to get back to his room and change into something. He picked a pair of black jeans and a black t-shirt. The outfit was extremely form fitting on him, and he knew it looked good. His hair was braided tight with a black ribbon in it and he wore black boots. He was comfortable so he headed out to the great hall where he found Xiuying dressed in a long black Cheongsam. Duo had to admit the young woman looked stunning in it. He wondered if she would be attending the festival. There were two other young women in the great hall, though the Cheongsams they wore were blue. Moments later, from a hallway on the other side of the room, Wufei and Heero emerged.

Wufie was dressed in Modern Mao suit and looked stunning in it. Heero was dressed in a white kimono with gray stripped hakama and a black haori jacket. He too looked amazing and Duo couldn't figure out which man he wanted to stare at more. The two men stopped short of the group of women and there was a moment of silence in the hall.

"Well are we ready to go? The drivers should be waiting. Let's get going." Wufei prompted.

The two women Duo did not know giggled before heading to the door and opening it for the rest of them. They all headed outside and made their way down the many stairs. When they finally got to the bottom Duo saw two Rickshaws. Before any order could be decided, the three women climbed into one of the Rickshaws. Duo felt his heart skip a beat. Part of him was excited for the opportunity to sit next to Heero, Wufei or both of them. The other part dreaded it. He knew they were going to smell amazing and he knew they were both muscular and he would be able to feel those muscles and the entire ride would drive him crazy. There was nothing he could do. Before he could do or say anything he was being ushered into the Rickshaw and found himself once again squished between the two other men.

The ride was just as agonizing as he imagined it would be. It bothered him that every single time he got close to both men he felt bombarded by emotions and sensations. It was overly frustrating. He was thankful when the trip into town was over and he was able to climb out and get a breath of fresh air. The city had been decorated though not extravagantly. Many people were out walking the streets and others were behind tables selling wares and food and drinks. Over by the river he saw a line of people flying kites despite the lack of wind. He noticed small lanterns keeping the kites afloat. Duo wondered what they were celebrating. He turned to Wufei who was standing beside him.

"What is this a festival for?"

"This is called the Qingming festival, also known as Tomb sweeping day." Wufei smiled.

"Really? That's awesome!" Duo exclaimed. He was excited to walk around and see everything and try the food and drink.

The festival had been great fun for Duo. He had enjoyed taking part if the kite flying and seeing the night sky lit up with the lanterns. It was a beautiful sight. One that Duo would not soon forget. There had been many people out enjoying themselves and though it was not a big town it seemed so much bigger than it was that night. He had visited the many vendors and enjoyed looking at the many things for sale as well as eating the delicious food. He also enjoyed the alcohol. He really liked the Biajiu. He had been told by Wufei that the drink was similar to vodka though he cast aside the warning that the drink was stronger in taste and alcohol content. Indeed it was stronger in taste but Duo had enjoyed it. He found himself drinking far more of it than he should have.

That evening Duo was thoroughly drunk and once again squished between Wufei and Heero in the Rickshaw heading home. It was dark out. The only light came from the headlights of the Rickshaw which was just enough light for the three men to barely see each other.  
"I had a great time. Thank you Wufei for inviting me." Duo exclaimed with a huge grin on his face. Despite his drunkenness his speech had yet to begin to slur.

"You're welcome. I think you had a bit too much to drink though. I told you Biajiu was strong."

"Don't worry, I'm fine. I am amazing at holding my alcohol. Though you weren't kidding. That shit is way strong!" Duo giggled. The affects of the alcohol were hitting him harder then he expected. He felt amazing but lightheaded at the same time. Even in his drunken state the smell of the other two men drove his senses wild. He found himself leaning against Heero. The Japanese mans arm was resting on the back of the seat so Duo rested his head on Heero's shoulder to the best of his ability. It was a little awkward, but he was far too drunk to care that it was a slightly uncomfortable. He felt Heero stiffen under him for a moment before the tension released. His arm slowly came down and laid on Duo's arm.

xxx

What Duo could not see was the look that Wufei was giving Heero. It was a stern look that screamed of caution and self control. Heero answered back with his own eyes the best he could though that did little to comfort the Chinese man. Heero gently stroked Duo's arm with his thumb, unable to resist the temptation to touch the exposed skin. It sent electric shocks through his body and he regretted the decision almost immediately. It made him want to touch him even more but that was something he didn't dare do. Duo was too drunk. He couldn't take advantage of the other man. He wondered if Duo had passed out as he had been silent for some time. As if to answer his question, the brunette spoke up.

"I like you Heero, You know that?" Duo said out of the blue before adding, "I like you too Wufei." Then there was silence and Heero was certain that the American had fallen asleep from the change in his breathing. Heero looked down at the man leaning on him before looking over at his lover. There was an intense swirl of emotions there that Heero could not read. He could tell Wufei was dying to talk and he wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not. The rest of the ride was in silence and when they got back to the palace Heero scooped Duo up into his arms and carried him up the stairs. Wufei walked close behind him. Heero knew the Chinese man had a lot he wanted to talk about once Duo was out of the picture. Once inside the palace Heero took Duo to his room and laid him down in bed and covered him. He resisted the urge to kiss the braided man on the forehead. He left the room and found Wufei waiting outside the doorway. As they walked towards their room they spoke.

"What have I said about self control Heero?" Anger laced Wufei's voice. Heero had not expected the conversation to start like this."

"I _have_ self control and I used it. I used a hell of a lot of it tonight if you didn't notice." Heero was irritated now. Wufei had no idea just how much self control it took to not do more then he did. To not kiss Duo before he walked out.

"Well you could have used more. You can't just do whatever you want Heero. You can't take advantage of him. He still needs to mend." They were almost to the room now.

Heero grabbed Wufei's arm and spun him around before pushing him into the wall. "I did _not_ take advantage of him. I could have done a hell of a lot more and you now it." Heero ground out between clenched teeth. "You need to stop treating him like he's a child. He is not some broken doll you can fix. He is a brown man who can heal on his own and I can see he's doing just fine. You need to have more faith in him." Heero let go and turned to walk away. Before he could step away, Wufei's hand was around his wrist. He turned to look at the other man.

Wufei looked at him for a moment before saying, "I'm sorry, you're right. Can you forgive me?"

"Of course." Heero pulled Wufei ainto an embrace. "You can't keep dragging this out though. You need to realize he is not as fragile as you think he is. We need to confront him eventually. Sooner rather than later."

"I know. So what do you think about what he said earlier?"

"I don't know. Maybe he meant he likes us as friends, or maybe more. He's drunk and its too difficult to tell. We just have to come up with a plan of attack.

Wufei nodded and they pulled away from each other. They looked at each other for a moment before kissing and heading the rest of the way to the bedroom. Despite the fact that they had made up, Heero was still irritated. The whole situation was keeping him on edge and it bothered him. It was driving him crazy constantly being put in situations where he was close to Duo or seeing him in amazing and stunning outfits. He had more self control than Wufei gave him credit for, but that self control was waning quickly. He knew that Duo was healing much faster than Wufei wanted to believe, but he also was pushing to get a kick start on a plan for himself. He wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out before he did something stupid. They had no idea how Duo would react to their proposition and the only clue wasn't much to go on. A drunk half confession wasn't much and they couldn't rely on it. Heero hoped they came up with something fast before he lost his mind.

 _End Chapter_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Duo woke the next morning with a horrible hangover. His head was pounding and he had a horrible taste in his mouth. He rolled over in bed and tried to remember what had happened the night before. He remembered going to the festival and enjoying the food and drinks. He definitely remembered drinking, but after the drinking everything was fuzzy. He didn't remember getting home or getting into his bed. He began to worry if he had made a complete fool of himself. He would have to apologize to Heero and Wufei if he had. He buried his face in the pillow. What if he had made an idiot of himself? What would they think of him? The idea filled him with dread.

He slowly sat up in bed and noticed he was still wearing his clothing from the day before. That was a good sign. He looked around the room and saw that he was alone. He wondered what time it was. He figured he could get up and get a shower and brush his teeth before venturing out. His shower was quick and he was soon drying his hair and braiding it and getting dressed. As he was pulling his shirt on, Xiuying entered the room and knelt at the doorway.

"Good morning Xiuying. How are you?"

"Good morning, Duo Xiansheng. I am doing good this morning. How are you doing?"

Duo sat down at the end of the end of the bed. "I have a horrible headache," he laughed. "But other than that I cant complain."

"Would you like me to get you something for your headache before we go out for breakfast?"

"I think I'll be okay. Thanks though. It isn't too late for breakfast?"

"No, it's still fairly early. I'm surprised you are already awake."

Duo smiled. He was typically a late sleeper and many times Xiuying had woken him up so he could get breakfast. He stood up and stretched. "Well, shall we head to breakfast? I'm starving."

Xiuying stood and opened the door for him. They made their way to the dinning room. It was empty accept for the the servents who were setting the table. Duo wondered how long they would have to wait before the food would come out. His stomach growled as he sat down at he table. It didn't take long and soon there was food sitting in front of him and he was digging in. Not long after, Wufei and Heero were coming in to join him.

"Good morning, Duo. You're up early." Wufei commented as he sat down in his usual spot.  
"

Yeah," Duo scratched his head. "It's weird isn't it." He laughed before going back to his food.

"It's not bad to wake up early every once in awhile. Though, I am surprised you're awake this early after last night." Wufei began to eat.

Duo paused and looked at his food. He really didn't want to think of last night. The idea filled him with dread. Did he say anything stupid? Did he do anything horrible? Should he regret anything? He was kicking himself for drinking so much. He felt uneasy. What was he supposed to say to them? He stole a glance at Heero, expecting him to be eating just like Wufei but he wasn't. Their eyes locked and Duo felt fire course through his vains. It was the same look he always got when he looked at Heero. That hungry look. It was almost preditory. Duo tore his eyes away and looked down at his plate. Why was Heero always staring at him? And why did he always let it bother him so much? He glanced over at Wufei and found him concentrating on his food. Was Wufei completely oblivious to the way Heero always looked at Duo? All these questions were driving him mad. He had to at least ask if he had acted like a fool last night.

"So can I ask a question?" Duo stared at his plate, moving the food around with his chopsticks.

"Of course you can. What is it?" Wufei inquired.

"Well," Duo paused. "I guess I just wanted to make sure I didn't do or say anything stupid last night. I know I was pretty drunk, and I honestly cant remember much of anything and I just want to be sure I didn't act like a fool."

"I assure you, you did not act like a fool and you did not say anything you might regret." Heero answered. Duo resisted the urge to look up at him to read his expression. He didn't trust himself to look back into that gaze. It did things to him that he had a hard time controlling. "You hold your alcohol very well, Duo." The way Heero said his name sent chills down his spine. Was the Japanese man doing it on purpose?

"How did I get to bed?" Duo continued to toy with the food on his plate. He didn't dare look to either side to see if the other two men were eating or staring at him. He hoped they were eating and not paying attention to him. He was feeling extremely exposed at the moment and Heero was making him extreamly uncomfortable. He wondered if Heero realized exactly what he was doing to him.

"I carried you. You passed out on the ride home." Heero answered matter of factly.

Duo felt his heart skip a beat. He thanked the gods above that he was passed out when that happened. He could only imagin Heero or even Wufei carrying him to bed and laying him down and covering him. The idea brought a blush to his cheeks and he suddenly found he no longer wanted to be in the same room as the other two men. There was a moment of silence before he set his chopsticks down on the plate the way he had been shown. He pushed his chair back, stood up and began to walk out of the room.

"Is everything okay, Duo?" Wufei asked from behind him.

Duo spun around, plastered a grin on his face and laughed, "Yeah I, uh, just need some fresh air that's all." He spun back around and quickly made an exit. He was grateful that Xiuying used the time after he finished eating to eat her own breakfast. He made his way out to the gardens to get some fresh air and clear his head.

xxx

"Why do you stare at him like that Heero?" Wufei asked after he wiped his mouth with his napkin.

"I can't help it. If you haven't noticed, when he isn't in the room I stare at you."

Wufei sighed. "Yes, I noticed. You need to learn how to control that."

"I control a lot of things Wufei. I can't help if I like to look at things I want."

"How do you think he is handling you, Heero? I think you make him uncomfortable."

Heero glared. "I see something totally different. He may be uncomfortable, but its not in a bad way. I can tell he's confused, but that's probably because I'm with you but still looking at him and saying things the way I do. It's confusing. But I'm not going to stop. I like to watch him blush."

"You need to be careful Heero or you might scare him away." There was true concern in Wufei's voice. Heero understood where Wufei was coming from. They were trying to keep Duo, not scare him away.

"At least I'm showing some kind of interest him. You haven't done anything to show any interest in him in anyway."

It was Wufei's turn to glare. "I think he has enough coming from you. I don't want to attack him with advances and confuse the hell out of him. You have your way of doing things, I have my way. Let's leave it at that."

"Hn."

xxx

It had been a few days since the day after the festival and Duo was wondering around the palace. He had been in almost every room in the palace and was confident he knew his way around. He was enjoying the place and found something new to do every day. He had ventured into a new area that he had not seen before. It looked plain and was not decorated like the rest of the palace. The area looked more Japanese than Chinese and Duo wondered if this was one of the areas that had been remodeled. He did not have Xiuying with him to tell him where he was or the history of the area so he was left to his best guess. As he wondered on he heard sounds coming from a room up ahead. There were grunts and shouts and the sounds of wood striking against wood. It peaked Duo's interest. He ventured on and soon found himself standing in an open doorway looking on at an interesting sight.

Heero and Wufei were both dressed in what looked to Duo like white karate suits and were sparring. Heero had a wooden sword and Wufei had a wooden staff. They were moving back and forth, attacking and blocking to an unknown rhythm. It was something Duo had never seen before and it was amazing. The two men flowed in unison, as if they knew each others next move. Duo wondered if it was rehearsed and they indeed knew the next move or if they were just so in tune to each others body they could gauge the next move. Sometimes the movements were fast, other times they were slow and precise. It was fascinating watching and Duo couldn't tear his eyes away. There was a final strike before they pulled apart and bowed to each other. Duo was disappointing to see it end. Just then, the two men turned and looked at him. He felt a blush creep up into his cheeks.

"Sorry, I didn't want to interrupt you guys. I've never seen anything like this before." Duo apologized.

"No need to apologize. Our sparring is not a secret." Wufei smiled. "Would you like to try?"

Duo's eyes grew big. He had no idea what to do or how to do any of it, but he was being asked if he wanted to try what they had just done. They made it look easy, but Duo had a feeling it was not as easy. He hesitated.

"Don't worry, its not that hard." Wufei took the wooden sword from Heero and walked over to Duo. He handed the staff to Duo and waited for him to take it.

Duo stared at the wooden staff. He didn't want to make a fool of himself, but Wufei was almost giving him no choice but to accept his offer. He didn't want to be rude so he took the staff and positioned it in his hands the way he had seen Wufei holding it before. He noticed Heero sit down on the floor near where he was standing. Duo realized he was going to watch them. Duo made his way into the room.

"We start in the middle and bow to each other." Wufei explained. Duo stood in the middle and faced Wufei. They bowed to each other before standing properly. "Then, we take our stances. Yours will be a guarded stance similar to what you saw me taking earlier. Make sure you are comfortable, do not place your feet too far apart as you will need to move quickly."

Duo positioned himself the best he could under the instructions he was given. He knew about guarding, though his training had been with fists and not a staff. He looked at Wufei, who had a small smirk on his face. He realized from the stance the Chinese man had taken that he would be blocking the other mans attacks. He swallowed hard and focused. He knew he had to get his head into the game. He looked at the way Wufei was holding the wooden sword and the way he was standing, poised to attack. Without warning, Wufei was moving toward him and swinging the sword. Duo reacted and used the staff to block the blow that would have hit him in the shoulder. A split second passed and Wufei was leaping back only to lunge forward with another attack. Duo blocked again, this time pushing against the attack.

Duo realized it was not as difficult as he thought, but Wufei was much faster than him and many times he barely blocked the attacks coming at him. He wondered how often Wufei and Heero sparred. He figured they did it often because Wufei was extremely good at it. Duo found himself sweating and his muscles aching in areas he was not used to. He was growing tired, and couldn't help but wonder when it would end but Wufei didn't seem to be letting up. How could he still be going at full strength when he had just sparred with Heero moments earlier? Before Duo knew it, he was breathing heavy. It was getting more difficult to keep up with Wufei. The look in the other mans face was serious and Duo saw something in his eyes he had never seen there before. It was something he could not describe, but he could see passion and emotion there. The look was close to the look that Heero had given him so many times, but not quite as hungry and possessive. It threw Duo off and broke his focus. He had not seen the attack coming and if it had been a real fight Wufei would have injured him seriously.

Their faces were inches apart and Duo's eyes widened a fraction. He could feel his heart in his chest and the look in Wufei's eyes was stronger then before. It sent a shiver through his body. He gripped tight on the staff. The closeness only lasted for a few moments before Wufei took a step back and rested the wooden sword on his shoulder. Duo noticed the Chinese man's breathing was heavier, though not as much as his own.

"Well done, " Wufei praised him, still staring into his eyes. Duo blinked and took a deep breath, still holding onto the staff tightly. What on earth were these two men doing to him? They were driving him insane on the inside. Did they have any idea what they were doing?

"Thanks. That was tougher than I thought."

"It would have been harder if you hadn't had former training as a pilot." Wufei commented. He grabbed the staff and gently took it from Duo's grasp. Duo released it and let his arms fall to his side. They felt heavy. "You did very good for a first timer. I only held back a little."

Duo laughed and stepped back to bring some distance between the two of them. He had no problems with being close to Wufei, but he was feeling light headed from the closeness and the fight. "Well, thanks for almost kicking my ass."

"Any time." The words came out of Wufei's mouth like silk. It was strange because there was no innuendo but the way Wufei said the words made Duo feel warm inside. He felt as if something else was being implied and he needed some fresh air.

"Well, I think I'm gunna go take a shower now." Duo smiled. He was hot and sweaty and had not expected to get a workout that morning. He left the other two men and headed back to his room to clean the sweat off his body. When he was some distance from the room he stopped and leaned against a wall. He took a deep breath and sighed. The sparring had been intense, but that was not what had caused him to stop. It had been how close Wufei had been to him and the way his eyes had looked and how he had said "Any time." He had never seen that look in Wufei's eyes before and he wondered where it had come from. Was it just the passion for the fight he had seen, or was there more behind it? He couldn't figure it out and it was maddening. It also bothered him how much he had enjoyed being so close to Wufei. He liked it but also hated it at the same time. Of course he liked it. He had feelings for Wufei, but at the same time he couldn't handle how he felt when he was that close. It was too much for him. He didn't even want to think about the way Wufei had said 'Any time.' That had been so uncharacteristic of him and had confused the hell out of Duo. He was so frustrated and his mind was so distracted he didn't even notice the presence of anyone near him until there was a hand on his shoulder.

The touch made him jump and he looked up into deep dark black eyes. His heart started to pound into his chest. He wasn't sure if he could handle those eyes. He was still trying to recover from looking at them just five minutes ago. His mind was foggy and he felt weak in the knees.

"Duo, are you okay?" There was concern in Wufei's voice. His eyes were filled with deep worry.

"I..." Duo stared into Wufei's eyes, at a complete loss for words. "I..." He had no idea what to say. He was lightheaded and couldn't tear his eyes away from Wufei's. His heart was pounding wildly in his chest and the feel of Wufei's hand on his shoulder was like fire. He felt panic rise up inside of his body. He wasn't sure if he was breathing, but he had a feeling like he might not be because his head was getting more fuzzy and he was starting to loose feeling in his legs.

"Duo?!" The voice was filled with alarm but it was distant to Duo. A moment later, the world was black.

xxx

Wufei caught Duo as he fell to the floor. He felt panic flash through his body. The brunette was limp in his arms. He prayed that he was okay. He picked the American up. As he stood, Heero walked up beside him.

"What happened."

"I don't know. He was standing here staring off into space so I touched his shoulder and asked him if he was okay. He just stared at me, and couldn't say anything and then he passed out."

"Lets take him to our room. It's closer."

Wufei nodded and they headed to their room. Upon entering it, Wufei moved to the bed and gently laid Duo on the bed. A moment later Heero was at his side with a cool damp wash cloth. Wufei took it and laid it across Duo's forhead. The brunettes face was pale which concerned Wufei. There was a long moment before Duo's eyes fluttered open. Relief filled Wufei. Wufei waited for Duo to come to before asking any questions.

"Are you okay Duo?" Duo tried to sit up but Wufei stopped him and held him back.

"What happened?" Duo inquired, looking around the room.

"You fainted. You need to stay down for a few to recover. Are you feeling okay? You don't feel ill do you?"

Duo looked at Wufei but turned away, a slight blush rising to his cheeks. Wufei was grateful to see color coming back to the brunettes face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. I'm fine, I was just light headed is all."

"You don't need to apologize Duo. It's my fault. I pushed you too hard while we were sparring. I'm sorry."

"No, it's not your fault." Duo hesitated, glancing at Wufei before staring at the ceiling. "It's nothing, don't worry about it."

"Duo, if there is something wrong with you we need to get a doctor in here to check you out. You cant push yourself too hard."

"Where are we? I haven't seen this room yet."

Wufei felt a spike of irritation shoot through him. He didn't like the subject change. He knew Duo was trying to get off the subject. "We are in mine and Heero's room. It was closest so we brought you here."

"Oh." Duo blushed again.

"Do I need to get a doctor in here to check you out, Duo?"

Duo snapped his head to look at Wufei. There was a dark look in his eyes. "No. I am fine Wufei. There is no need to worry, seriously."

Wufei glared. He didn't want to let the issue go, but it was clear that Duo did. He decided it would be best not to push it. He could not make the other man do anything he did not want to do, and he remembered the words Heero had said. Duo was a grown man. He was not a fragil broken doll that needed mending. Wufei needed to back off. He sighed and stepped away from the bed.

"How long do I have to stay here."

"You should rest for another ten minutes at least, please."

There was a huff from the bed and Wufei fought back the urge to smile. Even in a serious situation, Duo managed to make him smile. He couldn't fight the feelings he felt inside. He cared so much for Duo. He hated seeing him hurting in anyway and the idea of something being wrong with him bothered him. He saw Heero sitting in the chair staring at him and he shook his head. He wondered what the Japanese man was thinking. What did he think of the situation? It was obviously Wufei's fault that Duo had fainted, but was it because of the sparring or was it because he had affected him in a certain way? Either way it was still his fault. He knew Heero had something smart to say and he could see it in his eyes that he was dying to say it. It would have to wait and Wufei was grateful for that. The ten minutes passed and Duo left the room quickly.

Wufei sat down at the end of the bed and looked at Heero. They stared at each other for a moment before either of them spoke.

"Go ahead, I know you have something smart to say. You might as well get it out there now."

"I just find your approach very interesting. You say that I'm going to scare him off by staring at him all the time, but here you are making him faint." Heero was clearly fighting to keep the smile off his face, but he was failing.

"This situation is not funny Heero and you know it!" Wufei exclaimed, more angry with himself than with Heero. He knew it was coming, but he didn't want to admit it. He had not intended for his actions to make Duo faint, but they had and it bothered him.

"I never said the situation was funny, I simply find the irony of it all amusing."

Wufei sighed and fell back on the bed. "If I had known he was going to end up fainting I would never have asked him to spar with me. You dont need to rub it in, I feel bad enough as it is." Wufei felt the weight of the bed shift and knew Heero was sitting next to him.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to rub it in. This whole situation is just getting to me is all. Trying to read his reactions is frustrating. I just want to get this whole thing over with."

"I know, so do I. We will figure something out though, trust me. It just has to be at the right time. And now I'm not sure when that time will be. We will just have to feel it out from here." Wufei stared up at the ceiling. He had been trying to figure it all out since the day Duo had arrived, but couldn't figure out a good way to approach Duo. It wasn't every day that two men went up to their best friend and proposed he join their relationship. It had to be handled with care, and it was something he wanted to wait to do until Duo had healed. He was afraid they were going to loose Duo at the rate things were going though. He needed to come up with a idea and fast.

 _End Chapter_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Duo had decided to hide in the library. After fainting he figured doing something that wasn't strenuous would be best for him. He had spent a lot of time in the gardens but hadn't check out the library so he found himself browsing the books. He had been in there for hours. He had missed lunch and it was almost dinner time. He wasn't hungry though, and he honestly didn't want to face Wufei anymore that day. He was embarrassed that he had fainted. He couldn't believe that he had let Wufei affect him that way. There was no way he was going to admit to Wufei that it was his fault, but he was sure it was obvious.

He had been shocked when he had woken up to an unfamiliar room and had both men standing beside him. He had felt extremely vulnerable and had wanted nothing more than to run away, but he had been forced to stay and 'recover'. He was grateful when he was able to get out of the room and away from the two men. Not that he hated them, they were simply too much for him to handle. Not to mention he was in their bedroom with them, which only brought up unwanted thoughts at the time. He was thankful he could hide in the library. The only time he was interrupted was when Xiuying had come in to tell him it was lunch time and then again when it was dinner time. Both times he had told her he was not hungry and she had not questioned him.

He had found that the library was jam packed with books filled with Chinese characters. One wall seemed to be completely filled with books with Japanese writings as well. There was a small section that had English writings and that was what Duo pulled from. He was not surprised that there were so few English books. The only person in the entire palace that didn't know Chinese beside himself was Heero so naturally there was no need for any other language. He figured the Japanese books were thanks to Heero, though he wondered where the English books came from. Maybe some books did not come with translations, though the thought seemed silly to him. He spent the rest of the day reading until it was late and his eyes were tired. He placed the book on the table before heading to bed.

That night was the first night he took the time to relax in the bath. He typically wasn't a fan of sitting in water, but the warmth of the water helped relax him and calm his mind. It was much more enjoyable than he had anticipated and he wondered why he hadn't done it before now. After the bath he laid in bed staring at he dark ceiling. He was tired but his brain was still going a million miles an hour. He couldn't figure out why it wouldn't just shut up and let him sleep. He couldn't stop thinking about his sparring with Wufei and how he had fainted after it. He finally fell asleep, but was plagued with bad dreams.

He kept dreaming he was sparring with Wufei, but the sword was real and Wufei was crazy fast. Every time Wufei swung at Duo and he blocked, the Chinese man got inches away from his face and pulled away. Each time Duo looked deep into Wufei's eyes and almost fainted. This repeated over and over until Duo woke the next morning with a jump. He was panting and sweating. He laid in bed staring at the ceiling, dreading the day. He waited until his body had calmed itself before he sat up. He saw Xiuying kneeling by the door and he wondered what time it was. He was hungry, but he didn't dare go down to eat breakfast. He still couldn't face Wufei, and the thought of dealing with Heero was a whole different issue in itself. An idea came to him.

"Hey Xiuying, would it be possible to have breakfast brought to my room?"

"Of course, if that is what you wish. Would you like me to bring you some breakfast?"

"Yes please if you could. I'm going to take a shower while you are away so you can just set it on the table."

"Yes, Duo Xiansheng."

xxx

Heero and Wufei sat across from each other eating breakfast. They were both waiting for Duo to walk in. He had not come to lunch or dinner the day before and they were hoping that things would be back to normal that morning. Instead, they found Xiuying entering with a tray in her hands.

"Did Duo request you bring him breakfast, Xiuying?" Heero asked.

"Yes he did, Heero Xiansheng. This is not a problem is it?"

"No of course not, continue with what you are doing." Heero looked to Wufei. The Chinese man looked bothered. They waited for the young woman to finish and leave the room before they spoke to each other.

"Well, at least he's eating something." Wufei stated.

"But he's avoiding us. How long do you think he will keep this up?"

Wufei sighed. "I don't know. The fainting episode must have bothered him a lot. But we can't just go and invade his privacy. We have to let him have the space he needs and wants. We can't push him any further than we already have."

Heero nodded. There was silence before they both went back to eating.

xxx

Duo retreated back to the library that day. No one had found him or bothered him there the day before so he felt it would be safe to hide out there again. He spent the entire day reading, but soon found himself getting bored and antsy around dinner time. He was also getting hungry. He contemplated what to do. He could go to dinner, and face Wufei and Heero but he wasn't sure if he could keep his composure. He didn't have to look at either of them though. He could just go and eat and get out of there. Then he could find something to occupy his time for the rest of the evening before turning in. Yeah, that seemed like a good idea. He put his book away and headed to the dinning room. He stood outside the door, staring at it for what seemed like forever. He was trying to gain the courage to go inside but he was failing miserably. He could hear Wufei and Heero talking inside, but he could not hear what they were talking about. He wondered if he should just find Xiuying and ask her if he could eat in his room again, but what if he couldn't find her.

He was so frustrated he felt like pulling his hair out. Finally, he took a deep breath and entered the dinning room. Heero and Wufei did not stop their conversation as Duo approached the table and sat down. Duo was not focused on what they were talking about, but it sounded like something involving politics. He was focused on getting in there, eating and getting out. He knew he had to eat to survive. He had the strength to get through it, he just had to stay focused and not look at Wufei or Heero. He was so focused on eating his food that he didn't notice that his name was being called until the forth time it was said.

"Duo!"

The American's head shot up and he looked around, wide eyed. "What?"

"Are you okay? I said your name like four times." Wufei inquired.

Duo looked down at his bowl and mumbled, "Yeah, I'm fine."

There was a moment of silence before Wufei asked, "So what have you been up to lately?"

Duo took a deep slow breath to keep himself calm. Why couldn't he just eat? Why did Wufei have to talk to him? Deep down he couldn't lie to himself. He was afraid of the way both Heero and Wufei affected him. He was afraid of the way he felt inside. He was afraid of fainting in front of them again.

"I've been in the library reading."

"Oh? Did you find anything good?"

Duo resisted the urge to look up. He was dying to know if Heero was staring at him, but he didn't need to look up to know that he was. He felt his anxiety raise a notch. It felt cold to him that he wasn't looking up from the food in front of him to carry on a conversation, but he was afraid to look at Wufei again. "Most of the stuff is in Chinese or Japanese, but I found a few books in English. They are interesting enough."

"Yeah, sorry about that. We can get more books written in English if you'd like."

Duo felt like his heart was beating of of his chest again. He could hear the genuine care in Wufei's voice. He could only imagine the look in his eyes. Duo knew it was a bad idea to come to dinner. Even without looking at either men he knew what their eyes would look like. He knew how they both smelled and what the looks on their faces said. It was far too overwhelming, but he was deep in the middle of it. He couldn't even get himself to speak he was so overcome by emotion.

"Duo, are you okay?" There was a softness in Heero's voice that Duo had not heard before and Duo felt electricity jolt through his veins. He was feeling light headed again and it angered him. Why did he let them affect him this way? Why couldn't he be around them without feeling so enraptured by them.

"Yes." It came out as whisper and was weak. It was not convincing at all. It definitely did not convince Duo, so he was sure it did not convince the other two men. He had no idea what was going to happen next, but he did know that he did not want to pass out. Not again. As long as neither of them touched him he would be fine, at least he hoped.

"Are you sure? You look pale."

Duo slowly set his spoon down and looked up but did not look at either men. He slowly took a deep breath before exhaling. It helped, but not enough. He knew he had to say something, but what could he said. "To be honest, no, I'm not okay. I just need some fresh air." He stood and both men on either side of him stood as well and he knew that they were going to try to assist him, but he knew if they did it would spell disaster for him. "Please, just let me go alone." They both stopped just feet away from him and he moved away from the chair and slowly left the dinning room.

Once outside the dinning room Duo made a beeline to the nearest exit. He was grateful when he finally stepped outside and fill his lungs with fresh clean air. It helped clear his head and he slowly walked towards the gardens. All the while, his mind was racing a million miles an hour. He didn't understand what was happening. When he had first gotten there, neither Heero or Wufei had affected him that way. He had sat next to them and smelled them while sitting in the Rickshaw but it did not make him feel so light headed and almost faint. Why now was he feeling this way? Could it be because his feelings now were so much stronger then they were when he first got there? That was he only thing he could think of. That was the only way to explain the way his body was reacting. But it bothered him because Wufei and Heero were together and there was nothing he could do about the feelings. How could he continue to stay there with them and feel the way he did. He knew he couldn't. He would have to leave sooner or later anyway, and he was starting to feel like it would have to be sooner. He couldn't handle the emotional roller coaster he was on, it was far too much for him to handle.

He sat down in the grass and looked up at the sky. He sat there for a long time, trying to figure out what he should do. Was it a good idea to leave so soon after he had gotten there? Wufei had helped him get free, had saved his life. He had bought him all new clothing. Wufei had done so much for him, the idea of just leaving him seemed too rude. But Duo could not lie to himself. Every time he was in the same room as them he was overcome with emotion that he could not contain. He could not be with either men so he could not let his feelings come out in the open but those feelings were eating him away inside. He was frustrated and wished he could talk to someone about his problems. He wished that Quatre was there so he could get some advice, but he hadn't talked to Quatre in years. He knew he was on his own with his problems. As he stewed over his issues, Xiuying approached him.

"Duo Xiansheng." She bowed

"Hi Xiuying, what is it?" He asked, giving her a small smile.

"Jueye Chang would like to speak with you."

Duo stared at her. What on earth could Wufei want to talk about? He wasn't even sure if he wanted to talk at that moment. He was dealing with too many issues, and Wufei was one of them. It would be rude to say no though so he stood shakily, trying to contain his anxiety. "Okay, lead the way."

The young woman nodded and lead the way back into the palace. She took him to a room that he had dubbed the lounge. He wasn't sure what it was called in Chinese, but it was set up like a lounge with arm chairs and a love seat and a table in the middle. She left him at the doorway where he stood looking at the closed door. He took a deep breath. He wasn't sure he could do it. He couldn't even make it through dinner, and he hadn't even looked at either Heero or Wufei. In this room, he would have to look at them. He tried to calm himself. He knew getting worked up would only make it worse. He took a few more deep breaths, reminding himself that everything would be okay and to simply stay focused. Try not to look into their eyes, he thought. With that, he entered the room.

The room was not big, though it was not particularly small either. There was a oval shaped table in the middle of the room. On one side there was a love seat and on the other sat two arm chairs. On either end of the table there was a high back chair. Heero and Wufei were seated in the two arm chairs, Wufei on the left and Heero on the right, which meant Duo had to sit in the love seat. He slowly made his way over to the love seat and sat down in the middle. He felt awkward, as if he was a child in trouble and his parents had brought him here to scold him. The idea took his mind off his feelings but only for a split second.

"Are you feeling okay Duo?" Wufei asked.

"Yes, I'm fine thank you." Duo answered with more confidence in his voice then he felt inside. He focused on looking at different areas of Wufei's face but kept his gaze away from those deep black eyes.

"You're probably wondering why I asked you to come."

"Yeah, just a little." Duo laughed, trying to keep himself calm. He was doing much better then he had anticipated, but he could still feel his heart racing in his chest.

"There are a few things we wanted to talk about and ask you."

"Okaaay." Duo had no idea where this was going.

"First I want you to keep an open mind. Can you do that for me?"

"Yeah, I've got a very open mind." Duo laughed again, feeling a little more relaxed.

"Good. As you already know, Heero and I are a couple." Duo nodded. "I have a question for you that might make you uncomfortable." Wufei paused before asking. "Duo, how do you feel about Heero and I?"

"Im sorry?" Duo was confused. He was completely fine with them as a couple, he thought that was clear. Had he not made that clear when he first found out?

Wufei sighed and sat forward in his seat. He seemed uneasy which confused Duo even more. Duo shot a glance at Heero who was staring at him, but the look in his eyes was not what he expected. Instead of the hungry predatory look he had seen so many times, the Japanese man was regarding him with questioning eyes. "When you were drunk, right before you passed out, you said you like Heero and I. I understand that you were drunk, but what did you mean by this?"

Duo's eyes grew big. He was in shock. Never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined the conversation would turn this way. Not to mention the fact that he had admitted to them he liked them, though the details were not clear it was still true. He thought back on the words Heero had said. He had told him he hadn't said anything he would regret. Was that true? Did he regret it? He wasn't sure, he didn't have time to think about it. All he could think about was how Wufei was asking what he meant when he said he liked them. "I-well, I.." Duo stammered. He didn't know what to say. Why did it matter to them if he liked them or not? He didn't understand. They were both staring at him, waiting for him to answer. He could feel the pressure weighing down on him. He couldn't take it anymore, it was now or never. He was either going to break or something horrible was going to happen. "I like you! I like both of you. There isn't much more too it I guess." Duo exclaimed throwing his hands up in the air.

"How strong are your feelings for us?" Heero asked, cocking his head to the side.

"What?!" Duo asked in bewilderment. He was utterly lost. "For god sake Wufei made me faint the other day just by touching me and being ridiculously close to me. You want to know how I really feel?" Duo felt a surge of passion and courage rush through him. "Every time I'm close to the two of you I feel light headed. Every time I'm in the same room as you my heart races. I can't look either of you in the eyes properly without it making me feeling faint!" Duo exclaimed honestly. He felt angry and frustrated. He had no idea why he felt so angry, but he did, and it had fueled his outburst.

There was a moment of silence, a look of shock on both mens faces. Duo's lips were pursed and he had his arms crossed in front of him. He had to admit to himself that it felt good to get his feelings out, but at the same time he felt even more vulnerable then he did when he first walked into the room. They now knew how he felt. What were they going to say? What where they going to do?

"I had no idea you felt so strongly. I'm sorry I made you faint the other day, can you forget me?" Wufei asked, concern in his face. Duo looked away, trying to not look in his eyes.

"Of course I can. I already have." He looked down at the table. He anger had subsided and now he was only left with fear. He was so afraid of what might happen next. The last time he had expressed his feelings for someone, he had been enslaved and thrown out on the streets. He was afraid of what might happen now. He felt the weight of the couch shift and felt both men sit beside him. His heart pounding wildly in his chest. He was so confused and he had no idea what was going on.

He felt a gentle hand touch his chin and turn his head to the right. He was staring into deep cobalt blue eyes. Eyes that were filled with a deep hunger he had seen before, but it was softer now. His breathing began to quicken and he felt light headed. Suddenly, Heero's lips were on his kissing him and he was kissing back. He felt Heero's tongue probe for entrance and he opened his mouth to grant access. The kiss was deep and passionate. He felt Heero's hand cup his face, holding him there. His own hands came up and held onto Heero's muscular shoulders. Duo moaned into Heero's mouth, relishing in the taste of the other man. Heero kissed him harder and Duo felt his body react. This time, it was welcomed though. The kiss broke and the two men were panting for air. Duo felt light headed, but in a good way. He no longer felt like he was going to faint. He could feel Wufei behind him. Heero let go of his face and let Wufei turn Duo to face him. The Chinese man stole Duo's lips in a much gentler kiss but just as passionate. Their tongues danced inside each others mouths as they fought for control, it was a completely different experience then with Heero, but just as enjoyable. Soon the kiss ended and Duo was staring into deep black eyes again but this time when his heart skipped a beat it felt even more amazing.

"Duo, will you be our lover?" Wufei asked, gently stroking Duo's cheek with his thumb. Duo was shocked. He hadn't expected all this to lead to that question. He knew the answer immediately though.

"Yes." Of course he wanted to be with both men. It meant he didn't have to choose between either of them and it meant they wouldn't have to leave each other. So many things started to make so much more sense. The way that Heero had looked at him and Wufei had allowed it. The way they had always stuck him in the middle in the rickshaw. Everything made sense now. Wufei smiled and it was a delightful sight and an amazing feeling knowing that he had made it happen. Behind him, Heero shifted so that one leg was one the couch and was bent while he other was off the couch. Duo was almost sitting in his lap. Wufei moved so that he was sitting on one leg with the other off the couch.

Duo felt Heero's hands run down his back before sliding under shirt. The contact sent a shiver down his spine and a moment later his shirt was being lifted over his head. He felt Heero's lips on his neck and he tilted his head back and closed his eyes. It felt amazing, something he had only dreamed of. A second later Wufei's lips were on his shoulder, kissing and licking. His senses were being bombarded and it felt amazing. Their hands danced across his skin, caressing him. It felt like fire and he loved it. He wanted to return the favor and kiss and touch them back, but he couldn't get his body to respond. His senses were overloaded. He was panting and once again felt light headed.

"Are you okay?" Heero whispered in his ear, before nipping at it and licking it.

"God no!" Duo gasped, holding onto Wufei's arms for dear life. He heard Wufei chuckle as he trailed kisses along his collar bone. Duo was almost gasping for air as Heero's hands trailed down his back, skirted along his sides and danced along the skin above his jeans. Duo bit his lip, and moaned. He felt Wufei run his fingers along his chest and his lips trail up his neck. He couldn't think, all he could do was feel and it felt amazing. Far too amazing. It was too much to handle, he almost wanted to ask them to stop but he didn't. They hadn't even gotten to the good part and they were already driving him mad. Duo was still biting his lip when Wufei stole it from him for a kiss. It was deeper then the one before and Wufei took complete control. When he pulled away Duo was gasping for air.

"Duo, you need to calm down. Breath." Wufei whispered against his lips.

Duo's eyes fluttered open and he looked into the Chinese mans dark black eyes. There was a fiery passion in them. Heero's fingers were still caressing the skin above his jeans, driving him insane, his lips still kissing, his teeth still biting. He couldn't think with one man touching and kissing him and the other man trying to calm him down. It was maddening. He wanted to say he couldn't but his brain wasn't functioning enough with Heero touching him. The only thing he could do was plead with the other man with his eyes. It was as if Wufei understood because he took his hands away from Duo's chest and grabbed hold of Heero's hands to stop them. This action caused the Japanese man to stop working on Duo's ear and look up at Wufei.

"He needs to breath. Give him a moment to catch his breath." Wufei explained.

Duo felt Heero nod and rest his chin on Duo's shoulder. They sat there for a moment and Duo cleared his mind and caught his breath. The latter of the two he found much easier. It was hard to clear his mind with his shirt off and two amazingly attractive men so close to him.

"Better?" Wufei inquired. Duo nodded. "Good." Wufei let go of Heero's hands and the assault resumed. Duo wasn't sure if the break had mattered because soon he was panting for air again as Heero's fingers wormed their way into his jeans. He had realized that Heero clearly knew what he wanted, and was going to get what he wanted. Not to say that Wufei didn't want it, but the Chinese man seemed content with a slower approach. At some point, the other two men had taken their shirts off but Duo was far too gone to notice when. He could feel Heero's skin against his back though, and that was when he realized the clothing was gone. He tried to keep his eyes open, but it was difficult with the two men kissing and touching him. He felt Heero unbutton and pull the zipper of his pants down. His erection was pressing against his jeans, screaming to be let out. Heero answered the plea by pushing his pants and boxers down a little and letting his erection spring out. Duo nearly cried out when Heero grabbed his aching member.

The brunette threw his head back onto Heero's shoulder and bit his lip as the other man slowly began to pump his throbbing erection. It felt amazing; more then amazing. It was out of this world and Duo could barely contain himself. He felt Wufei's fingers dancing across his nipples, kissing and licking them. It was an intense overload of emotion and sensation. He could feel himself getting closer to climax, but he wasn't ready yet. He wanted it to last longer. He tried to hold on, biting his lip harder. He felt skin break and blood began to trickle down his chin. He ignored it, focusing on the pain. It was drowned out by the amazing feeling of Heero's hand and fingers touching him. Without warning, Wufei's lips were on his own, stealing the bleeding lip from his teeth and sucking on it. It almost threw Duo over the edge, but he grabbed onto Heero's legs and dug his fingers in. He wasn't ready yet. Wufei let go of his lip and resumed assaulting his nipples.

"Just let go Duo. I know you want to. Come for me." Heero growled into Duo's ear. That was all he needed. In a split second, Wufei was no longer on him and he was orgasming in Heero's hand. He cried out in pleasure and for a split second the world was a blur. It took him a moment before he came to. Wufei had moved and was using one of the shirts to clean him and Heero off. Duo was still panting, though not as heavily as before. Heero was gently kissing his neck, nipping every once in awhile.

"That, was amazing." Duo finally spoke, barely above a whisper.

"Yeah? Wait til you feel my cock inside of you." Heero whispered in his ear. It sent shivers down his spine. He felt warmth spread through his body and his erection began to grow again.

"Ready for round two?" Heero asked. Duo could feel the smile on his lips against his ear.

"Yeah," again, it was barely above a whisper. He was nervous, though he wasn't sure why. He had been with plenty of guys before. It wasn't anything new, but then again it was. He was about to do something he had only dreamed about.

"Come on, stand up." Heero helped Duo stand up. The Japanese man stripped his pants and boxers off as Duo did the same. Duo stood there awkwardly, unsure what Heero wanted him to do. He glanced over at Wufei who was sitting in the high back chair to his left. He gave him a quizzical look.

"Don't worry about me." Wufei smiled. Duo could see the obvious bulge in his pants and understood that Wufei would get his turn.

Heero sat down on the couch and beckoned Duo to sit on his lap. Duo straddled the Japanese man and sat on this thighs. Heero grabbed his own shaft and stroked it, staring deep into Duo's violet eyes. The act was extremely hot and Duo couldn't help but be turned on by it. He was bigger then Duo had expected. He had always heard that Japanese men had were small, but that must not always be the case. Heero was big and that turned him on even more.

"Are you ready?" Duo nodded. "Do you think you can handle it?" Duo nodded, heart racing. Heero pulled his hand away and spit into it a couple times before wrapping it back around his member. He continued to stroke himself as he placed his hand on the small of Duo's back and pulled him forward. Duo sat up and shifted forward. He placed his hands on Heero's shoulders and hovered over his hand and erection. It was wet from the spit and Duo hoped that would be enough. Heero slid his hand around onto Duo's hip and eased him down onto his erection. Duo felt the head press against his entrance and he took a deep breath and relaxed himself. It had been awhile and he hadn't been stretched so he knew it would probably hurt a little but he knew he could definitely handle it. Slowly he sat down onto Heero's member, engulfing it. It did hurt a little bit as he was so big, but it also felt amazing. Duo threw his head back and dug his fingers into Heero's shoulders.

"God Duo, you're so tight." Heero growled, grabbing onto the brunette's hips. He helped Duo raise up before pulling him back down onto his erection. Duo gasped and cried out. Heero did it again, eliciting the same reaction from the braided man. Heero continued, thrusting upward each time he pulled Duo down. The brunette cried out with each thrust, lost in the thralls of ecstasy. The rhythm quickened and Heero thrusts became harder. "God Duo, yes!" Heero exclaimed as he orgasmed deep inside of Duo. Duo cried out at the last thrust and collapsed against Heero's chest.

Duo's breathing was heavy, as was Heero's. They sat there together for a moment, recovering. Duo felt a warm hand trail down his back and he shivered. He could still feel Heero's hands on his hips so he knew it was Wufei touching him. He felt the warmth of Wufei's body close, almost touching him. "Are you ready for me now?" Wufei asked from behind, replacing Heero's hands with his own. Duo moved to sit up, but Heero held him down, almost against his chest. Duo looked into Heero's glassy hooded cobolt blue eyes. He felt Heero pull out of him only to feel another hard member press against his entrance. Wufei was behind him, positioned and ready to enter him. Was he ready though. The thought excited him, especially the position he was in with Heero holding him.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Wufei pushed into his tight entrance. Duo dug his fingers into Heero's shoulders and squeezed his eyes shut. It was maddening how slow Wufei was moving. It took far too long for him to get all the way in and when he did he stopped, enjoying the feel of Duo's tightness around him. Duo moaned and pushed against him, wanting Wufei to move but the Chinese man did not give in. Duo opened his eyes used them to plead with Heero, but the Japanese man could do nothing to help him. Instead, he leaned forward and captured his lips in a deep passionate kiss. It was in that moment that Wufei decided to begin moving. It made Duo gasp, but Heero did not break the kiss. The Chinese man slowly thrust in and out of the braided man, eliciting a range of sounds from him. It was slow and sweet and amazing and Duo couldn't get enough of it. He wanted it to last forever, but he could tell it wouldn't. The pace began to pick up and Wufei thrust into him quicker and harder. Heero refused to break the kiss the entire time, catching all the sounds that Duo made. Wufei thrust into him one last time with a growl and orgasmed inside of him.

Heero broke the kiss and let Duo fall on him. The braided man was completely spent. He was emotionally and physically drained and he couldn't be happier. He felt Heero's steady heart beat against his chest. They stayed that way for a moment before Wufei pulled out of him and sat down beside Heero on the love seat. Duo sat up and looked at the two men. He needed to clean up, that was for sure.

"That was amazing, thank you."

Heero smiled and trailed a hand down is back. "Indeed that was amazing. Thank you."

Duo blushed. "I should go clean up. Where is the nearest bathroom?"

"Down the hall and to the left." Wufei informed. Duo climbed off of Heero and gathered his discarded clothing. He pulled on the boxers before leaving the room and heading to the bathroom.

As he cleaned himself up, he tried his best to grasp the situation he had just been thrust into. He never thought he would end up in a relationship with two other men. It was nothing he had ever experienced before, but he was excited. He couldn't get rid of the giddy feeling inside of him, but for now he was okay with that. He finished up and got dressed before returning to the room. Both Heero and Wufei had gotten dressed, though Heero was shirtless, and where sitting on the love seat. They looked at him when he entered and he blushed. He wasn't sure why he kept blushing, but the looks in their eyes had not changed. They both had that hungry look in their eyes, though Wufei's was not nearly as intense as Heero's. Duo could not understand how even after what had just happened Heero still had so much want in his eyes. Duo stared at the both of them, still in shock that he had managed to get into a relationship with the both of them. They stared back at him with hungry eyes.

"What are you thinking, Duo?" Wufei asked, a look of concern washing over his features.

"I'm just in shock, to be completely honest." Duo admitted, moving to sit down in the closest high back chair. "Never in a million years would I have ever thought anything like this would have happened. I'm afraid it might all be a dream."

"I assure you, it is not a dream. This is very real. The want we have for you is very real, Duo." Heero sat forward and reached out for Duo's hand. The brunette extended his own hand and let Heero take it in his own. The Japanese man stroked the back of his hand with his thumb and Duo felt fire ignite through his body.

"How long will this last?" Duo asked, fear lacing his features. To say the least, he had trust issues. The last person he trusted had betrayed him horribly. Not that Heero and Wufei would do something so horrible, but there was a possibility that some day they may not want him anymore and they may cast him aside. He couldn't let himself be hurt like that, and if there was any possibility of that happening he had to walk away right then and there.

"Forever. Duo, we looked for you for months on that hell hole of a colony. If we didn't care about you, we wouldn't have taken the time to look." Wufei admitted.

Duo blinked, he hadn't thought of it that way. They had taken all that time, and money, to find him with high hopes. Had they really saved him so they could some day bring him in and love him, if he let them? He was baffled, he had not looked at it that way. He could hardly believe that someone, let alone two people, could care so much about him. But there was so much proof that Duo could not deny.

"I had to be sure. I can't risk getting hurt again." Duo's eyebrows came together and he looked away from them. He felt Heero's grip tighten but he did not look back at them.

"Listen Duo, we love you and that's not going to change. We fought to get you, and there is no way we are letting you go." Heero explained. Duo looked up, a slight smile on his face.

"Thanks, that means a lot."

"Its good to see you smiling again. I was afraid we had scared you away there." Wufei smiled.

"Well, it wasn't neccisarily you that I was scared of. More, the way you made me feel when I was around you and how I couldn't control it that I had a hard time dealing with." Duo admitted with a laugh. Heero let go of his hand and Duo placed it in his lap. He felt good. The looks in their eyes still filled him with emotion, and their presence and smell still made him light headed but knowing his feelings were out in the open helped him. He knew he didn't have to hold it in anymore, and he felt more safe and secure now. He didn't have to fear his feelings anymore, and he didn't have to fear looking at them anymore. They were his lovers, and though it would definitely be a change for him it was something he was excited about. He couldn't wait for the adventure to begin.

 _End Story_


End file.
